The term dissenter (from the Latin dissentire, "to disagree"), labels one who dissents or disagrees in matters of opinion, belief, etc. In the social and religious history of England and Wales, however, it refers particularly to a member of a religious body in England or Wales which has, for one reason or another, separated from the Established Church. Royal motto: Dieu et mon droit (French: God and my right) Englands location within the UK Official language English de facto Capital London de facto Largest city London Area  - Total Ranked 1st UK 130,395 km² Population  - Total (2001)  - Density Ranked 1st UK 49,138,831 377/km² Religion... National motto: Cymru am byth (Welsh: Wales for ever) Waless location within the UK Official languages English(100%), Welsh(20. ... In English history, the Established Church is the Church of England, the church which is established by the Government, supported by it, and of which the monarch is the titular head; until 1920 it also held the same position in Wales. ...

Strictly, the term includes English and Welsh Roman Catholics, whom the original draft of the Relief Act of 1779 styled “Protesting Catholic Dissenters”. In practice, however, it designates the “ Protestant Dissenters” referred to in sec. ii. of the Act of Toleration of 1688. See English Dissenters. The Roman Catholic Church, most often spoken of simply as the Catholic Church, is the largest Christian church, with over one billion members. ... 1779 was a common year starting on Friday (see link for calendar). ... Protestantism is a movement within Christianity. ... The Act of Toleration was an act of the English Parliament (24 May 1689) which granted freedom of worship to Nonconformists , Protestants who dissented from the Church of England such as Baptists, Congregationalists, and Methodists. ... English dissenters, also called nonconformists, were those Reformers in England that did not accept the State interference in religious matters and founded their own communities. ...

The term does not apply to those bodies who dissent from the Established Church of Scotland; and in speaking of members of religious bodies which have seceded from established churches outside Britain one usually employs the term “dissidents“ (from the Latin dissidere, "to dissent"). In this connotation the terms “dissenter” and “dissenting,” which had acquired a somewhat contemptuous flavour, have tended since the middle of the 18th century to be replaced by “nonconformist”, a term which did not originally imply secession, but only refusal to conform in certain particulars (for example the wearing of the surplice) with the authorized usages of the Established Church. The Church of Scotland is the national (established) church in Scotland. ... A dissident, broadly defined, is a person who actively opposes an established opinion, policy, or structure. ... (17th century - 18th century - 19th century - more centuries) As a means of recording the passage of time, the 18th century refers to the century that lasted from 1701 through 1800. ... A nonconformist is an English or Welsh Protestant of any non-Anglican denomination, chiefly advocating religious liberty. ... A surplice (from the Late Latin superpelliceum; from super (over) and pellis (fur); sobrepellice in Spanish; surplis in French; cotta in Italian and Chorrock (choir coat) in German) comprises a liturgical vestment of the Christian Church. ...

Still more recently the term “nonconformist“ has in its turn, as the political attack on the principle of a state establishment of religion developed, tended to give place to the style of “Free Churches” and "Free Churchman”. All three terms continue in use, “nonconformist” being the most usual, as it is the most colourless. In one sense the Free Church of Scotland dated its existence from the Disruption of 1843, in another it claimed to be the rightful representative of the national Church of Scotland as it was reformed in 1560. ...

See also

• Religion in the United Kingdom
• Freedom of religion

Original text adapted from the 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica. St Pauls Cathedral The United Kingdom is traditionally a Christian country, with two of the Home nations having official faiths: Anglicanism, in the form of the Church of England, is the established church in England. ... Freedom of religion is the individuals right or freedom to hold whatever religious beliefs he or she wishes, or none at all. ... (Redirected from 1911 Encyclopedia Britannica) The Eleventh Edition of the Encyclopædia Britannica (1911) in many ways represents the sum of knowledge at the beginning of the 20th century. ...