James Ussher : Theology, History, and Politics in Early-Modern Ireland and England

## Abstract The fractured identities of Ireland — religious, racial, cultural, and political — lie at the heart of modern Irish history: Catholic vs Protestant, Irish vs English, Nationalist vs Unionist. This book explores the nature and intellectual origins of one of these competing and mutually-hostile identities, Irish Protestantism, by examining the life and ideas of its effective creator, Archbishop James Ussher (1581-1656). Born in Ireland of Anglo-Irish stock, Ussher — educated at Trinity College Dublin and the leading bishop of the Church of Ireland — became the dominant intellectual figure in early-modern Ireland and, almost single-handedly, mapped out the distinctive features of Irish Protestant identity: partly English, partly Irish, dependent on England yet proud of its separateness, deeply hostile to ‘popery’, yet living in a Catholic country. In exile in England in the 1640s, he contributed to the discussions about the nature of episcopacy and the government of the English church. After his death, he was feted by all, high and low churchmen, royalists, and parliamentarians, all of whom sought the posthumous endorsement of his saintly reputation. By looking at Ussher in three different contexts — as Protestant Irishman in Ireland, as an Irish scholar in England, and in terms of his posthumous reputation — this work brings out the tensions and ambiguities inherent in Ussher's life work, and in the relationship between Ireland and England.

Though known today largely for dating the creation of the world to 400BC, James Ussher (1581-1656) was an important scholar and ecclesiastical leader in the seventeenth century. As Professor of Theology at Trinity College Dublin, and Archbishop of Armagh from 1625, he shaped the newly protestant Church of Ireland. Tracing its roots back to St. Patrick, he gave it a sense of Irish identity and provided a theology which was strongly Calvinist and fiercely anti-Catholic. In exile in England in the 1640s he advised both king and parliament, trying to heal the ever-widening rift by devising a compromise over church government. Forced finally to choose sides by the outbreak of civil was in 1642, Ussher opted for the royalists, but found it difficult to combine his loyalty to Charles with his detestation of Catholicism.

A meticulous scholar and an extensive researcher, Ussher had a breathtaking command of languages and disciplines—learned to a miracle according to one of his friends. He worked on a series of problems: the early history of bishops, the origins of Christianity in Ireland and Britain, and the implications of double predestination, making advances which were to prove of lasting significance. Tracing the interconnections between this scholarship and his wider ecclesiastical and political interests, Alan Ford throws new light on the character and attitudes of a seminal figure in the history of Irish Protestantism.

Though known today largely for dating the creation of the world to 4004BC, James Ussher (1581-1656) was an important scholar and ecclesiastical leader in the seventeenth century. As Professor of Theology at Trinity College Dublin, and Archbishop of Armagh from 1625, he shaped the newly protestant Church of Ireland. Tracing its roots back to St Patrick, he gave it a sense of Irish identity and provided a theology which was strongly Calvinist and fiercely anti-Catholic. In exile in England in the 1640s he advised both king and parliament, trying to heal the ever-widening rift by devising a compromise over church government. Forced finally to choose sides by the outbreak of civil war in 1642, Ussher opted for the royalists, but found it difficult to combine his loyalty to Charles with his detestation of Catholicism. A meticulous scholar and an extensive researcher, Ussher had a breathtaking command of languages and disciplines -'learned to a miracle'according to one of his friends. He worked on a series of problems: the early history of bishops, the origins of Christianity in Ireland and Britain, and the implications of double predestination, making advances which were to prove of lasting significance. Tracing the interconnections between this scholarship and his wider ecclesiastical and political interests, Alan Ford throws new light on the character and attitudes of a seminal figure in the history of Irish Protestantism. Contents......Page 8 Abbreviations......Page 9 Introduction......Page 14 I. USSHER IN IRELAND......Page 22 1. Controversy and Religious Identity in Sixteenth-Century Ireland......Page 24 2. Intellectual Formation: Trinity College, Dublin......Page 45 3. Ussher and the Shaping of Irish Protestant Theology......Page 70 4. Ussher and the Irish Articles of 1615......Page 98 5. Theology and Politics: 1615–25......Page 117 6. Religion, History, and Protestant National Identity......Page 132 7. Defending Calvinism: 1626–33......Page 146 8. Internal Exile: Ussher and Laudianism: 1633–40......Page 188 9. Ussher and Irish History: Britannicarum ecclesiarum antiquitates......Page 221 II. USSHER IN ENGLAND......Page 234 10. Ussher and the Defence of Episcopacy......Page 236 11. ‘No Man Can Serve Two Masters’: The Civil War and After......Page 270 12. Conclusion: History, Theology, and Politics in Ireland and Britain......Page 285 Bibliography......Page 299 B......Page 320 C......Page 321 E......Page 322 H......Page 323 L......Page 324 P......Page 325 S......Page 326 U......Page 327 Y......Page 328 Contents 8 Abbreviations 9 Introduction 14 I. USSHER IN IRELAND 22 1. Controversy and Religious Identity in Sixteenth-Century Ireland 24 2. Intellectual Formation: Trinity College, Dublin 45 3. Ussher and the Shaping of Irish Protestant Theology 70 4. Ussher and the Irish Articles of 1615 98 5. Theology and Politics: 1615–25 117 6. Religion, History, and Protestant National Identity 132 7. Defending Calvinism: 1626–33 146 8. Internal Exile: Ussher and Laudianism: 1633–40 188 9. Ussher and Irish History: Britannicarum ecclesiarum antiquitates 221 II. USSHER IN ENGLAND 234 10. Ussher and the Defence of Episcopacy 236 11. ‘No Man Can Serve Two Masters’: The Civil War and After 270 12. Conclusion: History, Theology, and Politics in Ireland and Britain 285 Bibliography 299 Index 320 A 320 B 320 C 321 D 322 E 322 F 323 G 323 H 323 I 324 J 324 K 324 L 324 M 325 N 325 O 325 P 325 Q 326 R 326 S 326 T 327 U 327 V 328 W 328 Y 328 Though known today largely for his dating of the creation of the world to 4004BC, James Ussher (1581-1656) was an important scholar and ecclesiastical leader in the seventeenth century. As Professor of Theology at Trinity College Dublin, and Archbishop of Armagh from 1625, he shaped the newly Protestant Church of Ireland. Tracing its roots back to St Patrick, he gave it a sense of Irish identity and provided it with a theology which was strongly Calvinist and fiercely anti-Catholic. In exile in England in the 1640s he advised both king and parliament, trying to heal the ever-widening rift by devising a compromise over church government. Forced finally to choose sides by the outbreak of civil war in 1642, Ussher opted for the royalists, but found it difficult to combine his loyalty to Charles with his detestation of Catholicism A meticulous scholar and an extensive researcher, Ussher had a breathtaking command of languages and disciplines-'learned to a miracle' according to one of his friends. He worked on a series of problems: the early history of bishops, the origins of Christianity in Ireland and Britain, and the rather unpleasant implications of double predestination, and made advances which were to prove of lasting significance This important re-evaluation of James Ussher's life and works-the most thorough for over a hundred and fifty years-traces the interconnections between his scholarship and his wider ecclesiastical and political interests, and throws new light on the character and attitudes of a seminal figure in the history of Irish Protestantism