This week in Christian history: ‘The Fundamentals’ released; King Charles II tolerates non-conformists

English King Charles II issues toleration for nonconformists – March 15, 1672

This week marks the anniversary of when English King Charles II issued the Declaration of Indulgence, which called for the toleration of non-conformist Protestants.

Also known as “His Majesty’s Declaration to all his loving subjects,” the document suspended earlier English laws that curbed the rights of non-conformists, or Protestants whose practices did not reflect the established Church of England.

Charles II, who had earlier attempted to remove legal penalties against English Catholics, met stiff resistance from Parliament over his efforts, which came shortly before he launched a war against the Dutch.

“The war with the Dutch went badly, and in less than a year the king was forced to return to parliament after all to request new taxation in order to keep fighting. Inevitably, the price was the cancellation of the Indulgence, which was done just short of a year after it had been published,” explained the blog The History of Parliament in a 2022 entry.

“It had, though, given an impetus to the development of dissenting organizations and networks which survived, the basis for the Toleration Act passed in the wake of the Revolution of 1689 and the English tradition of nonconformity.”