Making Toleration

Scott Sowerby

“A sophisticated account of a much-neglected chapter in England’s history. Sowerby reshapes our perceptions of both the Glorious Revolution and religious toleration in early modern Europe. Moreover, this book will greatly expand our understanding of the intellectual range and political impact of the early Enlightenment.”—Brian Cowan, McGill University

“One of the lasting consequences of the Glorious Revolution in England was the Toleration Act of 1689, which granted freedom of worship, but not full political rights, to almost all Protestant Dissenters, but not Roman Catholics. It is generally recognized that this Act was Parliament’s response to James II’s campaign to secure toleration and political rights for both Dissenters and Catholics by repealing the penal laws and Test Acts. This important new book, by a talented young historian, systematically examines the supporters of repeal and argues that their importance, and their significance in the Revolution, has been underestimated.”—John Miller, Queen Mary, University of London