The Ecclesiastical Public Sphere in England, 1815-1861

The significance of religion in nineteenth-century England has been the subject of much historiographical discussion, and it has received renewed attention in the twenty-first century. This thesis aims to illustrate the breadth and depth of ecclesiastical debate within the public sphere during the middle years of the nineteenth century, and how these interacted with, influenced, and were influenced by the broader public sphere at this time. Seeking to provide further evidence against the "secularisation thesis" as applied to the nineteenth century, this work situates religious controversies and contentions within the context of a period that was deeply concerned about such matters. The forms of printed media used in this thesis have not been sufficiently considered as contributors to ideas of Christianity in England, nor as forums to develop and interrogate them. As this work demonstrates, these sources encourage a greater understanding of the ecclesiastical public sphere. This thesis builds upon existing work on religion and print culture, and it further highlights the relationship between them.

This work uses periodicals, histories, and collections of sermons to analyse contentions surrounding ecclesiastical issues in the mid-nineteenth century. Selected examples of each have been deployed to assess the means by which publications and individuals from within the Church of England, and those from Dissenting perspectives, understood both contemporary and historical elements of Christianity. These targeted case studies, drawn from across the period under consideration, illuminate the vibrant and dynamic nature of religious debate. The consequent effect of this debate on the publications and individuals themselves is also considered, where appropriate. Using both a chronological and thematic approach, the malleable nature of the ecclesiastical public sphere is investigated over the course of the four chapters.

By harnessing these materials and applying them to this area of intellectual history, this thesis displays the value of neglected sources for studies of religion in the nineteenth century, or under-utilised aspects of familiar sources in certain cases. It accentuates the value of periodical literature as a means of exploring religious debate. It also foregrounds changing approaches to ecclesiastical history writing and the varying methods of delivering sermons during this time. This thesis helps to substantiate the view that, rather than religion becoming less prominent in public sphere discussions in the mid-nineteenth century, it remained a pivotal element of them.