Great Ejection

Great Ejection. The term refers to the mass expulsion of Puritan ministers and academics from the Church of England following the restoration of the House of Stuart under Charles II. This pivotal event, enforced by the Act of Uniformity 1662, solidified the divide between the established church and English Dissenters, fundamentally shaping the landscape of Protestantism in England. The ejection created a permanent Nonconformist tradition and had profound consequences for English society, theology, and education.

Background and causes

The roots of the Great Ejection lie in the preceding decades of political and religious turmoil, including the English Civil War and the Interregnum under Oliver Cromwell. During this period, Presbyterianism and other Puritan factions gained significant influence, often supplanting Anglican practices. The restoration of the monarchy in 1660 under Charles II, formalized by the Declaration of Breda, initially raised hopes for a comprehensive religious settlement that would include moderate Puritans. However, a powerful faction within the re-established Church of England, led by figures like Gilbert Sheldon, the Archbishop of Canterbury, sought to enforce strict liturgical and doctrinal conformity. The Savoy Conference of 1661, intended to reconcile differences, failed dramatically, hardening the resolve of Anglican leaders to purge the church of Puritan influence through legislative means.

The Act of Uniformity and its provisions

The legislative instrument that directly caused the Great Ejection was the Act of Uniformity 1662, passed by the Cavalier Parliament. Its most critical provision required all clergy to give "unfeigned assent and consent" to everything contained within the newly revised Book of Common Prayer by St. Bartholomew's Day, 24 August 1662. The Act also mandated episcopal ordination for all ministers, effectively invalidating the ordinations of many who had been installed during the Interregnum. Further conditions included renouncing the Solemn League and Covenant and swearing allegiance to the king. These terms were deliberately designed to be unacceptable to Puritan consciences, ensuring the removal of those unwilling to conform to the restored Anglican order.

Immediate aftermath and scale of the ejection

On the appointed St. Bartholomew's Day, an estimated 1,900 to 2,000 ministers, lecturers, and university fellows were ejected from their positions for refusing to comply with the Act of Uniformity 1662. The purge affected a significant portion of the parish clergy across England and Wales, with notable concentrations in areas like London, East Anglia, and the West Country. Among the ejected were prominent figures such as the Presbyterian theologian Richard Baxter, the historian Edmund Calamy the Elder, and the future founder of Congregational churches, John Owen. Simultaneously, the Act of Uniformity 1662 led to the expulsion of Puritan academics from Oxford and Cambridge, governed by the subsequent Act of Uniformity 1662.

Impact on English religious life

The Great Ejection forcibly created a distinct and persecuted Nonconformist or Dissenter community outside the Church of England. Ejected ministers often began preaching in clandestine meetings, known as conventicles, which led to further repressive legislation like the Conventicle Act 1664 and the Five Mile Act 1665. This period, often called the "Great Persecution," saw the formal organization of Presbyterian, Congregational, and Baptist denominations. The intellectual energy of the ejected ministers also fueled a vibrant tradition of Nonconformist writing and theology, while their exclusion from universities contributed to the later establishment of Dissenting academies, which became important centers for education and Enlightenment thought.

Legacy and historical significance

The Great Ejection established a permanent fault line in English religion between the established church and Nonconformist traditions. It is commemorated as a foundational moment of conscience and sacrifice within Dissent. The event indirectly influenced the Glorious Revolution and the subsequent Toleration Act 1689, which granted limited rights to most Protestant Nonconformists, though full civil disabilities remained for centuries. The theological and ecclesiastical principles defended by the ejected ministers profoundly influenced the development of Evangelicalism and the broader Protestant world, including in Colonial America. The Great Ejection remains a defining episode in the history of religious liberty and the complex relationship between church and state in England.

Category:1662 in England Category:History of Christianity in England Category:Church of England Category:English Dissenters