Religion in Jersey

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The wall paintings of the Chapelle ès Pêcheurs (Fishermen's Chapel) are a rare survival of the iconoclasm of the Reformation in Jersey.

Despite its small size, the population of Jersey is made of people with a diverse range of religions and beliefs. Traditionally seen as a Christian island, Jersey's established church is the Church of England, and Anglicanism and Catholicism are practised on the island in roughly equal numbers. Together, these religions account for around half the population of Jersey. Other denominations of Christianity and other religions such as Islam, Judaism, Sikhism, and Buddhism account for handfuls of people on the island. In recent years, irreligion has been an increasing force in Jersey, with two fifths of the population identifying as having no religion. This number rises to 52% for Jersey people under 35.[1]

History

Before Christianity

Restored entrance to the Neolithic tomb (with a mediaeval chapel on the mound) at La Hougue Bie.

In the

Jersey Dolmens functioned more as centres of worship like cathedrals or churches, where burials are incidental to the main function.[citation needed
]

Christianity

There is some evidence from parish names of Celtic missions to the islands, notably Saint

Saint Helier
lies in the bay off Saint Helier, Jersey and is accessible on foot at low tide.

Sometime between 535 and 545, Helier, who was to become Jersey's patron saint, went to the island bringing the gospel.[3] The island of Jersey remained part of the Duchy of

Diocese of Coutances
and was reluctant to come under the wing of the English church because it had many cultural ties with Normandy.

In 1378, the island was placed in an awkward position during the Western Schism. The island was under the Diocese of Coutances in France, while administered politically by England. Therefore, as France supported Clement's claim to the Papal see and England supported Urban's, there was tension in the island between the Government and Church. The Warden ordered the banishment of the Dean, labelled a 'supporter of the anti-Pope'. The island was placed under an Urbanite Administrator, as a separately administered part of the Coutances diocese.[4]: 48 

The island embraced the French Calvinist form of

Jean Durel
, later Dean of Windsor, and published for use in the Channel Islands in 1663 as Anglicanism was established as the state religion after the Stuart Restoration.


The reign of

burnt at the stake
. Her newborn child was returned to the flames by the Catholic Bailiff.

There also was a sudden influx from France of

Louis XIV revoked the Edict of Nantes
in 1685, effectively depriving them of the freedom to practice their religion by brutal methods : (in accordance of catholic hierarchy): prosecutions : prisons, galley slaves, no property rights, "dragonnades" etc, etc [6]

The style of worship was resolutely

Queen Elizabeth I
left Jersey and Guernsey more or less in charge of their own affairs, because of political expedience: Protestant islanders would be in opposition to Catholic France.

Although Jersey was transferred to the

James I, that the forms of the Anglican church were restored to Jersey. In 1620 David Bandinel was appointed the first Dean of Jersey since the Reformation. Anglicanism then became and remained the official religion of the island. In 2014 the Diocese changed, after 500 years, to the Diocese of Canterbury.[7]

Post-Reformation Catholicism

There were several waves of Catholic immigration, notably in the 1790s during the French Revolution, in the 1830s and 1840s with the influx of Irish laborers and towards the end of the 19th century with the settlement of Catholic religious institutes.

Methodism

Saint Martinais
, was converted by the first missionary sent to Jersey by John Wesley. This plaque, erected to commemorate the centenary of Methodism in the Channel Islands, describes him as the "apostle of the Channel Islands"

In 1774 Pierre Le Sueur and Jean Tentin returned to Jersey from

Huguenots
were drawn to the ideas of Methodism similar to those of Calvinism.

Conflict with the authorities ensued when men refused to attend Militia drill when that coincided with chapel meetings. The Royal Court attempted to proscribe Methodist meetings, but

Saint Ouen
in 1809.

Judaism

Saint Helier
.
Main article: History of the Jews in Jersey

Jews first established a synagogue in Saint Helier in 1843.

There were only a small number of foreign and British Jews in Jersey before the start of the

Occupation of the Channel Islands in the Second World War. Most of the Jewish population of Jersey evacuated to safety in June 1940 to the United Kingdom, but the United Kingdom did not permit foreign nationals, including Jews, to leave for the United Kingdom, leaving them trapped in Jersey. 12 Jews were registered under the laws imposed by the Germans and administered by the Jersey authorities[9] (a higher number concealed their Jewish identity or were helped to conceal their identity by resisters in the bureaucracy).[10] However, the anti-Jewish repressions were not carried out systematically. Jews of British citizenship were less likely to be persecuted than foreigners. A number of well-known Jews lived through the Occupation in comparative openness, including Marianne Blampied, the wife of Edmund Blampied, the artist.[10] The Bailiff of Jersey refused to ratify the registration of the eighth order requiring the wearing of a yellow star as a "measure too far".[10] No Jersey Jew was required to wear a yellow star on the Island.[10] In 1943 Jews were among those deported to internment camps in Germany, along with UK-born residents, former British military personnel and "undesirables".[10]

After the war, there was a revival of Jewish life in Jersey and a new congregation was founded in Saint Brélade in 1962. As of 2004, Jewish population was estimated at about 120.[11]

State and Church

The established church of Jersey tried to reform in the 19th century. This faced some resistance and was led by individuals such as the Rector of Grouville (1851-1885) the Rev. Abraham Le Sueur. Steps taken included abolishing pew ownership. Pew ownership allowed richer families to buy certain pews within the parish church, which was associated with status. Its abolishment made the parish churches more equitable.[12]

Religion in Jersey today

See also: List of churches, chapels and meeting halls in the Channel Islands

In the 2015 Jersey Annual Social Survey, 54% of adults stated they had a religion, 39% said they did not, and 7% weren't sure. Of those who had a religion and gave details, 97% were Christian and the remaining 3% were Buddhist, Hindu, Jewish, Muslim, or Sikh. Christians broke down as 44% Anglican, 43% Catholic, and the remaining 13% another Christian denomination.[1]

In addition to the Church of England, the island is host to the following faith groups:

Notable places of worship

Main article: List of churches, chapels and meeting halls in the Channel Islands

See also

References

  1. ^ a b Jersey Annual Social Survey: 2015 (PDF). States of Jersey. p. 8. Retrieved 2 December 2015.
  2. Jersey Heritage Trust
  3. ^ Saint Helier - Saint Hélyi - Saint Hélier Archived March 11, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
  4. ISBN 1 86077 065 7
    .
  5. ^ The Image at Hougue Bie: Catholic Deceit or Protestant Propaganda
  6. ^ [1], Jersey Heritage Trust
  7. ^ "Channel Islands and Winchester diocese split details released". BBC. 8 January 2015.
  8. ^ Faith - Methodism, Jersey Heritage Trust
  9. ISBN 0-902550-02-0
  10. ^
    ISBN 0953885836
    .
  11. ^ "CHANNEL ISLANDS". Jewish Virtual Library. Retrieved August 11, 2013.
  12. ^ Kelleher, John D. (1991). The rural community in nineteenth century Jersey (Thesis). S.l.: typescript.
  13. ^ "St. Columba's Church of Scotland". Retrieved 12 December 2014.

Bibliography

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