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‘The Rudiments of Faith and Religion’: Religious Controversy at Oxford, 1860–1865
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 25 March 2011
Extract
The link between religion, politics and education forms one of the major themes of Victorian history. Until the end of the 1820s only Churchmen had full political rights in England, and long after that time Dissenters were stern opponents of such Anglican privileges as the claim to levy church rates. Church of England feeling contributed greatly to Tory strength. Dissenters were prominent among Liberals and Radicals. As the State came to take a greater share in the control of education, sectarian bitterness was one of the main obstacles to official measures, because almost any plan for State intervention was bound to cut across some religious interest. In elementary education men like G. A. Denison resisted State policy in the name of the traditional teaching authority of the Church. In higher education there were forty years of debate and controversy before the universities of Oxford and Cambridge were finally freed from religious tests in 1871.
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References
1 page 333 note 1 See Denison, G. A., Notes of my Life 1805–1878, Oxford and London 1879Google Scholar.
2 page 333 note 2 Roach, J. P. C., ‘The University of Cambridge’, Victoria History of Cambridgeshire, iii (1959), 257–8Google Scholar.
3 page 333 note 3 A. S(idgwick) and E. M. S(idgwick), Henry Sidgwick: a Memoir, 1906, 106.
1 page 334 note 1 W. Tuckwell, Reminiscences of Oxford, 1900, 136–50.
2 page 334 note 2 C. E. Mallet, A History of the University of Oxford, 1927, iii. 377.
3 page 334 note 3 E. Abbott and L. Campbell, Life and Letters of Benjamin Jowett, 1897, i. 314–20.
1 page 335 note 1 T. D. Acland, Some Account of the Origin and Objects of the New Oxford Examinations, 2nd ed., 1858, xi.
2 page 335 note 2 E. G. Sandford (ed.), Memoirs of Archbishop Temple, by seven friends, 1906, i. 131, n. 1.
3 page 335 note 3 Cambridge Local Examinations Syndicate, 1st Annual Report, 1859, 4.
4 page 335 note 4 Nicholas Waterhouse, local secretary for both the Oxford and the Cambridge Locals at Liverpool, pointed out that not a single parent there had objected to his son taking the Cambridge examination in religious knowledge (Transactions of the Social Science Association, 1859, 438–9).
1 page 336 note 1 Oxford Delegacy of Local Examinations, Minutes, 4 February 1858.
2 page 336 note 2 See also Minutes, 9 November 1858.
3 page 336 note 3 Minutes, 16 November 1858.
1 page 337 note 1 Minutes, 5 May 1860.
2 page 337 note 2 Memoirs of Archbishop Temple, ii. 551.
3 page 337 note 3 Delegacy of Local Examinations, Minutes, 2, 10 November 1860.
4 page 337 note 4 Minutes, 1 December i860.
1 page 338 note 1 Oxford University Archives, Minutes of Hebdomadal Council, 1854–66, fol. 331 (4 February 1861).
2 page 338 note 2 See Oxford University Archives, Hebdomadal Orders 1857–61, No. 360. The relevant sections in Latin read as follows: Fiat examinatio turn in rudimentis Fidei et Religionis (nisi alicujus parentes vel qui in loco parentis sint hanc renuerint); turn in literis Anglicis, in historia, in linguis, in mathematica, in scientiis physicis, et in caeteris artibus quae ad juventutem liberaliter educandam pertinent.
Eorum vero, quorum parentes vel qui in loco parentis sint Examinationem in Rudimentis Fidei et Religions renuerint, si quis in Scripturis Sacris solis exam subire voluerit, id ei liceat; proviso ne cui Testimonium de Rudimentis Fidei et Religionis concedatur, nisi qui turn in Scripturis Sacris, turn in doctrina et ritibus Ecclesiae Anglicanae Examinatoribus satisfecerit.
1 page 339 note 1 Oxford University Archives, Hebdomadal Council Reports 1855–64, fol. 64.
2 page 339 note 2 Minutes of Hebdomadal Council 1854–66, fols. 337, 338; Hebdomadal Orders 1857–61, No. 372.
3 page 339 note 3 ‘The Oxford Local Examination’, Guardian, 13 March 1861.
4 page 339 note 4 Guardian, 24 April, gives the debate on the form of the Statute; see also 1 May, 15 ‘The Oxford Local Examination’. Scott must have modified his earlier opinions. See above, 337.
5 page 339 note 5 Grounds of objection to details, at least, of the Statute, as now proposed for Middle Class Examinations (Bodleian Library, G.A. Oxon. b. 30). This is not dated but was probably published in April 1861. It is quoted in the Guaridan of 1 May; Vindication of ‘Grounds of objection to details at least of the Statute, as now proposed, for Middle Class Examinations’ against a leading article in the ‘Guardian’ (G.A. Oxon. b. 30). This is dated 6 May (1861).
1 page 340 note 1 Grounds of objection …, 6.
2 page 340 note 2 Minutes of Hebdomadal Council, 1854–66, fol. 343 (22 April 1861); Hebdomadal Orders 1857–61, No. 387; Guardian, 8 May 1861.
3 page 340 note 3 Hebdomadal Orders 1857—61, No. 394 gives the votes; see also Oxford University Archives, Convocation Register 1854–71, fol. 269 (16 May 1861) for the voting; Guardian, 22 May 1861.
1 page 341 note 1 Pusey House MSS., Liddon Transcripts: Pusey to Keble 3 May 1861 (Pusey to Keble, vi (1861–63)); for Keble’s letter of 2 May see Keble to Pusey, iv (1857–66). I owe this reference to the kindness of Professor W. R. Ward.
2 page 341 note 2 Pusey did not think so; see his letter to J. Griffiths, Secretary of the Delegacy (probably April 1864), ‘I forgot to say yesterday (which I say now not to free my con-science, nor to elicit an answer) that “on conscientious grounds” does not seem to me adequately to represent “conscientiae causa”. For it makes “conscientiously” a mere adjective, not the ground. A person might “conscientiously object” who did it “with a good conscience”, though he did not do it “on grounds of conscience”’: Oxford University Archives, W.P. γ 22(3), ‘Petition to amend Local Examination Statute. Letters on this subject 1864’.
3 page 341 note 3 John Griffiths, The Local Examinations Statute (Bodleian Library, G.A. Oxon. 8° 208). This is dated 27 November 1863.
4 page 341 note 4 The wording of this section of the statute reads: ‘Fiat Examinatio turn in Rudimentis Fidei et Religionis …’.; turn in Literis Anglicis, in Historia, in Linguis, in Mathematica …’.
1 page 342 note 1 Minutes of Hebdomadal Council, 1854–66, fol. 379.
2 page 342 note 2 Delegacy of Local Examinations, Minutes, 6 December 1862.
3 page 342 note 3 Minutes, 7 February 1863.
4 page 342 note 4 This is made clear in Delegacy Minutes of 27 June, quoting the case communicated to Sir Roundell Palmer (see below, 343).
1 page 343 note 1 Delegacy Minutes, 19 June 1863; John Griffiths, The Local Examinations Statute.
2 page 343 note 2 Delegacy Minutes, 19 June 1863.
3 page 343 note 3 Ibid., 25 June 1863. The Vice-Chancellor was the Rector of Exeter, J. P. Lightfoot.
4 page 343 note 4 Delegacy Minutes, 27 June 1863; Minutes of Hebdomadal Council, 1854–66, fol. 411 (29 June, 1863).
1 page 344 note 1 Delegacy Minutes, 30 October 1863.
2 page 344 note 2 Ibid., 19 November 1863; Minutes of Hebdomadal Council, 1854–66, fol. 418 (23 November 1863); Hebdomadal Reports 1855–64, fol. 80.
3 page 344 note 3 Oxford University Archives, W.P. γ 22 (3) ‘Petition to amend Local Examination Statute. Letters on this subject 1864– ’. This statement is based on notes (probably for a speech in Congregation on 21 April 1864 (see 345)) in Griffiths’s writing; these are filed with various letters to Griffiths about a proposed amendment to the new statute.
4 page 344 note 4 The Local Examinations Statute (G.A. Oxon. 8° 208). This is dated 27 November 1863.
5 page 344 note 5 Minutes of Hebdomadal Council, 1854–66, fol. 425 (1 February 1864); Sewell gave notice of a motion to accept the recommendations of the Delegates on 7 March (ibid., fol. 431).
1 page 345 note 1 Hebdomadal Reports, 1855–64, fol. 80.
2 page 345 note 2 This statement is based on an article, ‘Oxford Local Examinations’ in the Guardian, 4 May 1864; for the proceedings in the Hebdomadal Council, see its Minutes, 1854–66, fols. 432–3 (14 March; 4, 11 April 1864).
3 page 345 note 3 The relevant sections read as follows: ‘Quod ad examinationem in Rudimentis Fidei et Religionis attinet, candidati omnes in scripturis sacris, ratione turn doctrinae turn historiae et argumentorum habita, examinatoribus satisfacere teneantur; quicumque vero satisfecerint, iis quantum par erit e reliqua examinationis materie excusetur.
Excusentur ab examinatione in Rudimentis Fidei et Religionis ii quorumcunque parentes (vel qui in loco parentis sint (conscientiae causa)) hanc renuerint; quorum tamen si quis in scripturis sacris, ad historiae tantum rationem tractatis, examen subire voluerit, id ei reputetur.
Quaestionibus de Ecclesiae Anglicanae libro precum communium suus assignetur locus; nee cuivis Testimonium de Rudimentis Fidei et Religionis concedatur nisi qui in hac etiam parte se probabiliter institutum praestiterit’: Hebdomadal Orders 1862–7; G.A. Oxon b. 30.
4 page 345 note 4 Jackson’s Oxford Journal, 23 April 1864.
5 page 345 note 5 Guardian, 27 April 1864.
6 page 345 note 6 These identifications seem to me to be very probable, though it is impossible to be quite certain about them. A paper in Pusey’s hand, but unsigned, which looks like a prepared speech, is in Pusey House MSS., Chest A, Drawer 3. The notes in Griffiths’s hand, but unsigned, are in Oxford University Archives, W.P. γ 22 (3), ‘Petition to amend Local Examination Statute’.
1 page 346 note 1 Most of the preceding, including the quotations, comes from Pusey’s paper in Pusey House MSS. (see above, 345); see also Answer to the Objections to the Middle Class Examination Statute, and Reasons for its acceptance, (G.A. Oxon. b. 30) (which contains a passage on the principles involved very similar to that quoted above); Will the Plan of the Delegates promote or discourage the study of the Bible, or will the proposed Statute discourage essential secular knowledge (G.A. Oxon. c. 80 407).
1 page 347 note 1 See his notes, W.P. γ 22 (3); The Local Examinations Statute (20 April 1864) (G.A. Oxon. b. 30); The subject entitled ‘Rudiments of Faith and Religion’ in the Local Examinations (28 April 1864) (G.A. Oxon. c. 80 403); A Comparison (29 April 1864) (G.A. Oxon. c. 80 406).
2 page 347 note 2 The amendment read as follows: ‘Quod ad Rudimenta Fidei et Religionis attinet proponantur quaestiones de S. Scripturae libris, non solum ad historiam et argumenta sed etiam doctrinam pertinentes, necnon quaestiones de Libro Precum Publicarum secundum usum Ecclesiae Anglicanae et Hibernicae; nee quisquam hac in parte Examinatoribus satisfecisse habeatur, nisi qui et his et illis quaestionibus probabiliter respondent. Quicumque autem id fecerit, et Testimonium meruerit, ejus Testimonii verba de Rudimentis Fidei et Religionis bene positis in fronte imprimantur, caetera omni Examinations materie non nisi in dorso Testimonii cujuslibet inscripta. Quod si parentes cujusquam (vel qui in loco parentis sint) hanc Examinationis partem renuerit, huic tamen liceat in S. Scripturae libris, ad historiae tantum rationem tractatis, examen subire; et quod responderit, id ei reputetur’: G.A. Oxon. b. 30.
3 page 347 note 3 W.P. γ 22 (3).
4 page 347 note 4 Minutes of Hebdomadal Council, 1854–66, fols. 436–7 (25 April 1864).
5 page 347 note 5 Hebdomadal Orders 1862–7.
6 page 347 note 6 Jackson’s Oxford Journal, 7 May 1864; Guardian, 4 May 1864.
1 page 348 note 1 Minutes of Hebdomadal Council, 1854–66, fol. 438 (2 May 1864).
2 page 348 note 2 The relevant section reads as follows: ‘Quod ad Examinationem in Rudimentis Fidei et Religionis attinet, satisfaciant Examinatoribus omnes candidati in aliquibus S. Scripturarum libris, non solum ad historiam et argumenta sed etiam ad doctrinam tractatis, nisi alicujus parentes (vel qui in loco parentis sint) hanc examinationis partem renuerint. Ne tamen socordiae detur locus, ii, qui ab hac parte ita excipiuntur, Examinatoribus satisfaciant in alia quadam materie, quam cognovisse ejusdem fere laboris impendio constabit; in qua quidem materie, si ita velint Candidati, numerentur aliqui S. Scripturam libri ad historiae tantum rationem tractati’: Hebdomadal Orders 1862—7; G.A. Oxon. b. 30. See also Jackson’s Oxford Journal, 14 May 1864; Guardian, 11 May 1864.
3 page 348 note 3 Guardian, 18 May 1864.
4 page 348 note 4 Minutes of Hebdomadal Council, 1854–66, fol. 440 (13 May 1864); Hebdomadal Orders 1862–7 and G.A. Oxon. b. 30 give the Vice-Chancellor’s notice.
5 page 348 note 5 Convocation Register, 1854–71, fol. 336; Jackson’s Oxford Journal, 28 May 1864; Guardian, 25 May 1864.
6 page 348 note 6 Delegacy of Local Examinations, 7th Annual Report 1864, 5–6.
1 page 349 note 1 The Local Examination Statute (6 March 1865) (G.A. Oxon. c. 81 411).
2 page 349 note 2 Delegacy Minutes, 17 November 1864.
3 page 349 note 3 Ibid., 10 December 1864.
4 page 349 note 4 Ibid., 4 February 1865.
5 page 349 note 5 The outlines of the agreement are made clear in the speeches of Professor Henry Smith and Pusey in Congregation, 23 February 1865 (Guardian, 1 March 1865).
6 page 349 note 6 Minutes of Hebdomadal Council, 1854–66, fob. 449, 455, 457, 460, 464 (24 October, 28 November, 5 December 1864; 30 January, 13 February 1865).
7 page 349 note 7 Hebdomadal Orders 1862–7; see above, 340.
8 page 349 note 8 Guardian, 1 March 1865.
9 page 349 note 9 See above, 341.
1 page 350 note 1 Minutes of Hebdomadal Council, 1854–66, fol. 467 (28 February 1865); Hebdomadal Orders 1862–67.
2 page 350 note 2 The Local Examinations Statute (G.A. Oxon. c. 81 412), signed by R. L. Cotton, C. C. Clerke, E. B. Pusey, F. K. Leighton, F. Bulley, H. L. Mansel, J. W. Burgon.
3 page 350 note 3 John Griffiths, The Local Examinations Statute (March 6 1865) (G.A. Oxon. c. 81 414). The article is in Punch, xlviii. 87 (4 March 1865).
4 page 350 note 4 The Local Examinations Statute (G.A. Oxon. c. 81 416).
5 page 350 note 5 Jackson’s Oxford Journal, 11 March 1865; Guardian, 8 March 1865.
6 page 350 note 6 Convocation Register, 1854–71, fol. 354 (21 March 1865).
7 page 350 note 7 Eighth Annual Report, 1865, 12.
1 page 351 note 1 Ninth Annual Report, 1866, 3–4.
2 page 351 note 2 Guardian, 1 March 1865. The Professor of Latin was John Conington.
3 page 351 note 3 Schools Inquiry Commission, Parliamentary Papers, 1867–8, xxviii, iv, 65–6: 603 66–7: 610; 74: 652. Baines’s question is at para 652.
1 page 352 note 1 Schools Inquiry Commission, ix. 776 note.
2 page 352 note 2 Schools Inquiry Commission, ix. 308.
3 page 352 note 3 See Griffiths’s paper A Comparison (G.A. Oxon. c. 80 406), 2: ‘If the Cambridge system is to be followed, let it at any rate be fully set forth. There may be persons here who would prefer it to our own. But the Delegates have not asked for it.’
4 page 352 note 4 Delegacy of Local Examinations, Minutes, 11 November 1865.
1 page 353 note 1 In his paper of April 1864 (Pusey House MSS.). See above, 345.