Church of Ireland: Encyclopedia II - Church of Ireland - History

Church of Ireland - History

The Church of Ireland claims that its origins go back to the ancient Celtic Church in Ireland, which was founded at Paris by disciples of St. Phillip c. AD 108 and expanded into Britain and Ireland shortly thereafter, however these claims are not left undisputed as the Catholic Church in Ireland has a longer history. Originally a form of Christianised Druidism, Saint Patrick was instrumental in the formal re-organisation of the Celtic Church two centuries later. A monastically-centred institution, the unique calendar and usages of the Celtic Church were slowly drifting in the direction of Catholic orthodoxy when they were forcibly abandoned in the twelfth century after the Anglo-Norman Conquest of Ireland. A parish- and diocese-centered model replaced the old monastic one. Hence it was the English (ironically, given their later policies) who brought the island firmly into the Roman fold, although the Celtic Church remained connected with the Holy See, she did have her own rites.

In 1536 Henry VIII had the Irish Parliament declare him head of the Irish Church, so breaking with the Holy See. Later, in 1541, he had the same parliament declare him King of Ireland. When the Church of England travelled in a more Protestant direction under Edward VI so too did the Church of Ireland; unlike in England, however, Roman Catholicism remained the majority religion in Ireland.

As before the Reformation, some clergymen of the Irish Church sat as Lords Spiritual in the Irish House of Lords; under the provisions of the Act of Union 1800, one archbishop and the three bishops chosen by rotation would be Lords Spiritual in the newly united United Kingdom House of Lords in Westminster, joining the two archbishops (Canterbury and York) and the twenty-four bishops from the Church of England.

Though the religion of a minority of Irish people, it remained the official religion of Ireland, until its disestablishment by an 1869 Act of Parliament came into effect in 1871. Previously, it had been funded by tithes, taxes that all, whether Anglican or not, were obliged to pay to it. The representation of the Church in the House of Lords also ceased.

To deal with its new situation, it made provision in 1870 for its own government (General Synod) and financial management (Representative Church Body). Like other Irish churches, it did not divide when Ireland was partitioned in 1920, and continues to be governed on an all-island basis, with twelve dioceses organized as two provinces (Armagh and Dublin).

Adapted from the Wikipedia article "History", under the G.N U Free Docmentation License. Please also see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki