The New Irish Constitution: An Exposition and Some Arguments
History
The New Irish Constitution: An Exposition and Some Arguments
Home rule -- Ireland; Ireland -- Politics and government
The Roman Catholic Church has lately shown itself accommodating in Germany
in regard to the marriage law. When Dr. Hogan of Maynooth College writes
of “the peaceful character and disposition of the church and her
reluctance to cause any disturbance of the social affairs of States or
communities, even where the vast majority of the people are hostile to her
religious claims”; when he adds “if it can be shown that a new law (the
_Ne temere_ decree) inflicts any serious grievance on Protestants in this
country, we are satisfied that due consideration will be given to any
representations which may be made in this matter,” he is borne out by the
recent policy of his Church, even if one cannot admit the accuracy of his
further statement: “Such has always been the policy and practice of the
Church in this matter.”—(_See_ _Irish Ecclesiastical Record_, February,
1911). The system never breaks, but it bends—bends to the exigencies of
new situations, and particularly of democratic institutions, such as will
exist in Ireland under Home Rule.
II. SECURITIES FOR RELIGIOUS LIBERTY
How to obtain and still more how to secure such liberty or equality is a
problem in every modern State. The actual solutions, though many, fall
into a few groups(86); I enumerate the chief. There are countries with
State Churches in which have gradually been made concessions to other
denominations. England is the typical example. Religious equality (so far
as it exists) is the result of a long series of measures; the successive
removal of disabilities of Dissenters and Roman Catholics; of measures
relating to the tenure of public offices, and as to marriage, or oaths. No
one Act states any governing principle. After the fashion of English
legislation there has been movement from point to point, though, on the
whole, always, or with few relapses, in modern times, in one direction.
The securities for equality are found in a long series of individual
statutes. Such, also, may be said to have been the history of religious
equality in Hungary; as in so many countries there has been a gradual
abandonment of the old maxim _cujus regio, ejus religio_.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account