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R ichard B ourke: For the Honour of G od and the Good of Man
Author(s) -
Stoneman David
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of religious history
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.117
H-Index - 13
eISSN - 1467-9809
pISSN - 0022-4227
DOI - 10.1111/1467-9809.12079
Subject(s) - honour , legislation , toleration , politics , formative assessment , faith , relation (database) , sociology , law , political science , religious studies , theology , philosophy , pedagogy , database , computer science
The C hurch A ct (1836) was arguably the most significant ecclesiastical legislation in A ustralia's history, as it profoundly impacted on the nation's social and political development in its formative years. The A ct was instigated by G overnor R ichard B ourke and was welcomed by the people as establishing “religious equality on a just and firm basis.” However, historically it is often categorised as being part of B ourke's liberal reform agenda where the legislation's attributes of religious toleration have been magnified and its function to expand C hristianity minimised. The fact that B ourke was a devout C hristian is something that none of his biographers have disputed, but this belief is rarely portrayed as fundamental to his motives. This article explores the nature of B ourke's C hristianity and discusses how that influenced his public policy in relation to religion and education. It reveals a complex man who had sincere orthodox A nglican faith, but recognised the part played by other denominations in the C hristian mission. This examination will demonstrate the difficulty in differentiating between secular and spiritual motives and intentions in this period.