A Prejudice that Rarely Utters Its Name
A Historiographical and Historical Reflection upon North American Anti-Catholicism
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 20460857 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Stephen Kenny (0000-0002-2719-1236, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2002 |
| Volume | 32 |
| Issue | 4 |
| Pages | 639-672 |
| Publication date | 2002-12-01 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | The American Review of Canadian Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0272-2011 • E-ISSN: 1943-9954 |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/02722010209481678 |
| OpenAlex | W1979806009 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 10 |
In his recent critical essay on history of Catholic Church, Swiss-born theologian Hans Kung notes that assessments of institution, both internal and external, vary significantly. A faithful but questioning priest, he opines that it is most controversial of churches subject to extremes of admiration and attack. (1) Claiming that at mid-twentieth century common attitude towards it was one of benevolent indifference, Kung suggests that its current rigid and infallibly taught positions on matters such as abortion, homosexuality and euthanasia have now turned general opinion into hatred, indeed public hostility. (2) The purpose of this article is not to suggest right or wrong, rather it attempts to delve antagonism in United States and Canada towards Catholicism in historiographical and historical terms. Our times leave little space for tolerance of church and its teaching. The current anger which infuses contemporary attitudes requires some explanation before historical understandi ng can be addressed. It is a prejudice that rarely utters its name. Given seemingly endless disclosures in United States of massive and predatory sexual assault on part of its clergy and willing silence of some American bishops, hostility to Roman Catholic church has exploded. The muscular zero tolerance measures taken by American Conference of Catholic Bishops at its annual meeting held in Dallas in June 2002 were modified by Vatican's cautious response. Acting in interest of justice to accused rather than concern for victim, Rome's reaction will likely increase antagonism. Yet objections to Catholicism in America are not new. What changes from time to time is nature, depth and extent of virulence of anti-Catholic attitudes. Reflecting upon anti-Catholicism in America, historian Arthur Schlesinger Sr. once referred surprisingly to this prejudice as the deepest bias in history of American people. (3) Indeed it is hard to define anti-Catholicism. The raw intolerance of one person may be honest objection of another. The difference between thoughtful criticism of church and hoary prejudice continues to perplex historians. For example, in his recent study of Charles Chiniquy, former priest from Quebec and well-known nineteenth century anti-Catholic polemicist, Richard Lougheed struggles with that distinction. He reminds his readers that if there was indeed a fanatical and excessive brand of anti-Catholicism in Chiniquy's day, that of evangelical Protestants at least had a legitimate theological foundation, Moreover, in Quebec at that time struggle against Catholicism was informed by a countervailing and powerful anti-Protestantism and triumphant clericalism symbolized by preeminence and domination of Ultramontane Catholics. (4) Historical Background: Canada and United States While cliche frequently suggests that what happens south of forty-ninth parallel eventually occurs north of it, serious readers of comparative literature in Canadian and American history realize that there is no perfect chronological fit between two countries. There is no simple sequence of cause and consequence. For example, while antebellum America spiraled towards fratricidal disaster of Civil War, pre-Confederation Canada evolved hesitatingly away from colonial status to a greater measure of autonomy and national affirmation. Similarly, experiences of Catholic Church in United States and Canada differed considerably in chronology, demographics and attitudes. What is more, within Canada history of Roman Catholic Church is also contrasted in that its French speaking component was overwhelmingly Roman Catholic while that of English speaking Canada was mostly Protestant
Admiration · Bishops · Consecration · Constitutionality · Hatred · Historiography · Homosexuality · Jury · Mainstream · Political science · Politics · Sociology · Supreme court · Theology · American Constitutional Law and Politics · History · Law · Philosophy · Psychology · Religious studies · Social Psychology
| Highly cited | No |
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