THE ANGLICAN-CATHOLIC RELATIONS IN THE ASSESSMENT OF POLITICAL PERSONALITIES OF THE UNITED KINGDOM IN THE SECOND HALF OF THE XIX CENTURY

Abstract

The article addresses the issue of how leading leaders of the liberal and conservative British party assessed the problem of interaction between the Anglican and Catholic churches in the nineteenth century. The main emphasis is on the social and political results of the emancipation of in English society, in the representations of Protestant or skeptical politicians or thinkers. The problem of religion in England has been an important element of social and political life since the sixteenth century. One of the most pressing aspects of this issue was the problem of relations between the Anglican and Catholic churches. After the Reformation from above, the Anglican State Church became a unique phenomenon, which testified to the strong national trends in society. The Catholic question was not a common problem in English life, playing not only a purely dynastic or religious role, but also having political and geopolitical significance. The situation has changed dramatically since the beginning of the nineteenth century because of the act of unity with Ireland raised questions about the status of Irish in the UK government. Also, an opposition to the Anglican Church, such as Tractarianism or the Oxford movement, has developed in England as well. As the article states, that against the background of the general social tensions and economic crises that took place between 1815 and 1840, the government was forced to seek compromise. Among these compromises was the improvement of conditions for Catholics. In 1829, a parliamentary document called the Act on the Freedom of Catholics allowed to participate in elections and to be elected to Parliament and to confer on them other civil rights. From that moment on, the Irish were given the opportunity to take part in the political life of the United Kingdom, the action that politicized the question. In the article the classical conservative and liberal view of the problem is compared. The author states that the conservatives and liberals had a similar attitude to the development of Anglicanism and the growing role of Catholicism. The problems of the internal reform of Anglicanism, foreign influence, the destruction of traditions and the institutionalization of the Catholic Church created a significant problem, to which public thought responded fervently and actively. The author emphasizes that, in contrast, Anglicanism was perceived as a national cultural heritage uniting the British people.