Tuesday, September 8, 2015

CJ (#45) Cultural Dynamics (1) Religion

Our ancestors lived in a historical context that was uniquely their own.  This context often contained certain dynamics that would influence the thoughts, speech, and action of the individual.  For our Cadwallader Jones (JO-1), this would involve a number of influences that are important to recognize in this period ["The Glorious Revolution" 1688-1689].

Cultural dynamics I will call them, since they were the major items that influenced the behavior of those folks involved.  They are: 1) Religion, 2) Government, and 3) Social Class.  These dynamics were the most important influences active at this point in history.  Individuals and families were separated from one another along these lines.  To understand the life and times of Cadwallader Jones (JO-1) [especially the record following his time as Governor of the Bahamas], it will be important to grasp these cultural dynamics.  These items will be presented individually in the next few posts.

Let's begin with "Religion".

One or the other, you could not be both at the same time.  Here, a "Catholic" is defined as a person who belongs (or believes) in the Catholic Church.  A "Protestant" is defined as a person who denied the universal authority of the Pope, and believed certain "Reformational  principles".

The figure above shows a dividing line between the two belief systems.  If you claimed to be "Catholic" you could not be a "Protestant" at the same time.  This dynamic would then place the individual into "one or the other" categories.

Our Cadwallader Jones (JO-1) was Catholic.  Many who had settled the Islands were Protestants.  These Protestants called the Islands "Eleutheria" [meaning freedom] and intended this settlement to be a republic.

For references see:

Our First Revolution, by Michael Barone, Crown Publishers, N.Y., 2007.

The Story of The Bahamas, by Paul Albury, Macmillan Education Ltd, London, 1975.