Toleration
Melvyn Bragg and guests discuss the ideas and politics behind the idea of religious toleration. In 1763 Voltaire remarked that “of all religions, the Christian is undoubtedly that which should instil the greatest toleration, although so far the Christians have been the most intolerant of all men”. Christian intolerance was brutally enforced across Western Europe in the Middle Ages and the Reformation, with inquisitions, executions, church courts and brandings with hot irons. But during the English Civil War a variety of Christian sects sprang up which challenged the imposition of state religion and opened the floodgates to religious diversity.What were the politics and philosophy behind the idea of toleration in England? Did the rise of toleration go hand in hand with the rise of the secular, or were tolerationists - in fact - deeply religious? And how does toleration differ from tolerance?With Justin Champion, Professor of the History of Early Modern Ideas at Royal Holloway, University of London; David Wootton, Professor of Intellectual History at Queen Mary, University of London; Sarah Barber, Senior Lecturer in History at Lancaster University.
→ Listen on BBC Sounds website
Guests
- Justin Champion
11 episodes
Professor of the History of Early Modern Ideas at Royal Holloway, University of London - David Wootton
16 episodes
Professor of Intellectual History at Queen Mary, University of London - Sarah Barber
2 episodes
Senior Lecturer in History at Lancaster University
Related episodes
-
Deism
8 Oct, 2020 210 Philosophy and theory of religion -
Calvinism
25 Feb, 2010 230 Christianity -
Wyclif and the Lollards
16 Jun, 2011 270 History of Christianity -
Fundamentalism
22 Apr, 1999 200 Religion -
Catharism
17 Jan, 2002 270 History of Christianity -
Just War
3 Jun, 1999 170 Ethics -
George Fox and the Quakers
5 Apr, 2012 270 History of Christianity -
The Oxford Movement
13 Apr, 2006 270 History of Christianity -
Seventeenth Century Print Culture
26 Jan, 2006 000 Computer science, knowledge and systems -
Empiricism
10 Jun, 2004 190 Modern Western Philosophy
Programme ID: p004y288
Episode page: bbc.co.uk/programmes/p004y288
Auto-category: 270 (Christian church history and Christian denominations)
Hello (First sentence from this episode)
Hello, in 1763 Voltaire remarked that, quote, of all religions the Christian is undoubtedly that which should instill the greatest toleration, although so far the Christians have been the most intolerant of all men, unquote.