The Shadow of Great Britain

Chapter 835: Chapter 386: God Says: Believe in Science (7K)

The relationship between science and theology is like that of astronomy and astrology. Although both originate from the same root, their research objectives and methods have diverged greatly.

— Francis Bacon

Tonight, St. James’s Palace is immersed in an atmosphere of tranquility and solemnity.

Unlike the usual night’s silence, tonight its lights are exceptionally bright, like stars fallen from the night sky illuminating this historic palace. The light filtering through intricately carved window lattices falls on the red brick walls, highlighting the marks and majesty wrought by time.

The King’s private quarters and the adjacent Privy Council room are brightly lit, illuminating the long corridors and spacious halls. Each window seems like an eye, piercing through the darkness to observe the changing tides of the era with unwavering clarity.

In the corridors, servants dressed in splendid attire move silently, busy yet orderly, the flames from the candles on their trays flickering, adding a touch of tension and solemnity to this emergency meeting of the Privy Council.

In the center of the council hall, deep red velvet high-backed chairs surround a massive oak table, spread with an array of diverse documents and archives. The sword and sceptre, symbols of the King’s supreme power, stand quietly at the side.

King William IV sits at the head, dressed in a Royal robe embroidered with gold thread, a jeweled crown on his head, his expression solemn as he slightly tilts his head to listen to the reports from his counselors beside him.

Apart from the King, seated below are the summoned members of the Privy Council, quietly conversing, briefly exchanging the current information at hand.

Although this is not the Middle Ages or the early modern period when the Privy Council held the most power, and they no longer wield the combined legislative, executive, and partial judicial powers that made them the core decision-making body of Britain and the King’s important central organ for handling state affairs,

this does not mean that in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, anyone can disdain the supreme authority and honor of the Privy Council.

This is not only because of their close relationship with the King, but also due to the high social status of the Privy Council members themselves.

By convention, in religious matters, the three most esteemed figures of the English National Church are always included: the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Archbishop of York, and the Bishop of London all attend the meeting.

In the realm of law, all chief judges from the highest courts such as the Court of King’s Bench and the Court of Chancery are bestowed the honor of being Privy Council Counselors.

In the political sphere, it encompasses Cabinet members from the ruling party, key colonial governors, and some former Cabinet members highly trusted by the Royal family.

However, although the Privy Council is a large body with a hundred members, only in the case of the monarch’s grand marriage or the monarch’s death are these esteemed figures required to all attend.

In most cases, the King will only invite a very few counselors to attend. The meeting process is usually just the President of the Privy Council reading out a series of dull decrees waiting for the King’s approval, and all King William IV has to do is nod in agreement.

Although theoretically, King William IV has the right to refuse, the last time a King rejected a Privy Council resolution was back in the early 18th century during Queen Annie’s reign.

In 1702, the Tory Party proposed a rather indecorous act called the Occasional Conformity Act, or it could be interpreted as the “Ban on Occasional Conformity Act”.

Although Britain had long since detached from the Pope’s jurisdiction in the realm of religion, this did not mean that those who did not adhere to Catholicism would join the Anglican Church. Protestantism had many denominations, the National Church of England was just one of the options available to believers.

At that time, as now, many members of the Whig Party, although not Catholic, were not proper adherents of the National Church either. Some were members of the Scottish Presbyterian Church, others were Lutherans or belonged to various other Protestant factions.

According to the “Test Act” passed by Parliament in 1673, anyone holding public office or clerical positions must swear allegiance to the National Church of England upon taking office and receive communion at least twice a year at the National Church.

Therefore, most Whigs and other non-conformist Protestants would intentionally receive communion twice a year at the National Church, while at other times they would still attend their own denominations’ churches.

As loyal royalists, the Tories were naturally furious at this phenomenon, believing it necessary to sharply strike against these ‘sham conformance, future repenting’ shameless opportunists.

Thus, to defend the King and their own religious beliefs, and to strike against their long-time political rivals the Whigs, the Tories proposed this seemingly absurd “Ban on Occasional Conformity Act” in Parliament.

Queen Annie, as the Queen, was naturally the most faithful adherent of the National Church of England.

However, although she wholeheartedly agreed with the Tories, considering that her husband George, Princes of Denmark and Norway, was a Lutheran, and that passing this act could exacerbate national division and spark a purge against the Whigs in politics, Queen Annie ultimately vetoed the act in the Privy Council.

Just like the issue Queen Annie faced in that Privy Council meeting over a hundred years ago, King William IV now also encountered a thorny issue regarding religion and faith.