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Victorian Era Catholicism

The religion of an era plays an important role in its development. The kind of religion practiced in a period can give you an idea about the people as well as the culture of that period. Victorian era is one of the most important periods of English history.

It is difficult to understand the evolution of England without learning about this period. This period has influenced the religion, the culture as well as the traditions of British people. This was the age when people learn to use logic and reasoning.

The religion practiced in this period will help people understand the period better. The Victorians embraced the ideas of Christianity. Victorian era Catholicism became quite popular. There was the catholic emancipation act in the year 1828 which made the path of Catholicism clear for the Victorian people.

The Victorian era also witnessed certain religious movements. These movements turned out to be revivals for the churches as well as the traditions of the churches. There were clashed between certain communities but Victorian era Catholicism held an important position.

Catholicism was a result of the old English period. But the Victorian liberalism somewhat challenged the thoughts of the old English Catholicism. Some of the people became hostile to Catholicism but there were some intellectuals who were not much hostile towards this religion.

There were certain writers who were in favor of this religious practice. Some of the great writers of this period like Matthew Arnold, Ruskin and Carlyle became critical of the liberalistic ideas that grew in the Victorian period. They criticized about the self-complacency as well as the optimism of the Victorian era.

People who followed Catholicism were aware of the ideas that started growing in the Victorian period. These people understood that certain dangers were revolving around the religion they practised. These people did not want to identify political liberalism with religious liberalism.

Catholicism in the Victorian era was not so much conservative as the previous ages. There were some popular Catholics of this period who practised liberalism more open-mindedly. Catholicism, therefore, developed in an atmosphere which was free from any political interference and disturbance.

Some of the top religious thinkers and writers of the Victorian period are John Keble, John Henry Newman and Edward Bouverie Pusey. These people tried to put forward the theories of Catholicism in Victorian England. There are other popular writers as well as doing the same thing.

Also read about Universalis Ecclesiae: a decree passed on the 29th of September, 1850

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