Daily Telegraph 14 May 2022
Anthony Pick (letters 12 May) rightly highlights the significance for constitutional monarchy of the 1688-9 “Glorious Revolution”. Of equal importance is its role in the constitutional development of freedom of religion and its later spread across the world.
In England, the 1689 Toleration Act permitted worship outside the established church for the first time. Prior this, thousands of dissenters such as John Bunyan had faced imprisonment or even execution for expressing beliefs that did not conform to the politically dominant belief system of the day. While in Scotland, the accession of William and Mary drew a final line under the attempt of the Stuart kings to impose their own beliefs on the Scottish church. This had led to the bloodiest period of religious persecution in British history, which is still known in Scotland as “the killing times”, reflecting the large numbers judicially or extra-judicially killed for their faith.
These are lessons politicians today need to remember.
Dr Martin Parsons
In England, the 1689 Toleration Act permitted worship outside the established church for the first time. Prior this, thousands of dissenters such as John Bunyan had faced imprisonment or even execution for expressing beliefs that did not conform to the politically dominant belief system of the day. While in Scotland, the accession of William and Mary drew a final line under the attempt of the Stuart kings to impose their own beliefs on the Scottish church. This had led to the bloodiest period of religious persecution in British history, which is still known in Scotland as “the killing times”, reflecting the large numbers judicially or extra-judicially killed for their faith.
These are lessons politicians today need to remember.
Dr Martin Parsons
