English dissenters, also called nonconformists, were those Reformers in England who opposed State interference in religious matters and founded their own communities.
Having hoped for a better and more pure Reformation in the English Church, many individuals were disappointed by the political decisions made by the Kings in order to control the Established Church
The Restoration (1660) valued episcopacy and limited the rights of the dissenters. The Act of Uniformity (1662) required episcopal ordination for all ministers, but many clergymen instead withdrew from the Official State Church.
Among the several groups, there were:
Ancient
As of 1660
Present-day
Those ancient Dissenters that survived
Some notable dissenters
See also
Last updated: 08-20-2005 09:45:36
