Adissenter (from the Latindissentire, 'to disagree') is one whodissents (disagrees) in matters of opinion, belief, etc.[1] Dissent may include political opposition to decrees, ideas or doctrines and it may include opposition to those things or the fiat of a government, political party or religion.
In the social and religious history ofEngland andWales, and, by extension,Ireland, however, it refers particularly to a member of a religious body who has, for one reason or another, separated from theestablished church or any other kind ofProtestant who refuses to recognise the supremacy of the established church in areas where the established church is or wasAnglican.[2][3]
Originally, the term included English and WelshRoman Catholics[2] whom the original draft of theNonconformist Relief Act 1779 styled "Protesting Catholic Dissenters". In practice, however, it designates Protestant Dissenters referred to in sec. ii. of theAct of Toleration of 1689 (seeEnglish Dissenters).[1] The termrecusant, in contrast, came to refer to Roman Catholics rather than Protestant dissenters.
The term has also been applied to those bodies who dissent from the PresbyterianChurch of Scotland,[1] which is the national church of Scotland.[4] In this connotation, the termsdissenter anddissenting, which had acquired a somewhat contemptuous flavor, have tended since the middle of the 18th century to be replaced bynonconformist, a term which did not originally imply secession, but only refusal to conform in certain particulars (for example the wearing of thesurplice), with the authorized usages of the established church.[2][1]
Still more recently, the termnonconformist has in its turn, as the political attack on the principle of a state establishment of religion developed, tended to give way to the style offree churches andfree churchman. All three terms continue in use,nonconformist being the most usual, as it is the most colourless.[1]
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One or more of the preceding sentences incorporates text from a publication now in thepublic domain: Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). "Dissenter".Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 8 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. p. 318.
