Methodist Rome

Methodist Rome

Methodist Rome was a nickname sometimes given to the city of Toronto, Ontario in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. The moniker implied that Toronto was as central to Canadian Methodism as Rome, or more specifically Vatican City in Rome, is to Catholicism.

Methodism was never the faith of the majority of Torontonians, yet it played a very important role in the city. In addition, Toronto had one of the largest (if not the largest) population of Methodists in the world.[citation needed] The strong Methodist influence greatly shaped the city's character. Toronto became known for being very puritanical with strict limits on the sale of alcohol and rigorously enforced the Lord's Day Act. Discrimination against Jews and Catholics was also common, with both groups being excluded from the financial and political elite. Peter C. Newman has described Toronto in this period "a sort of Calvinist Tehran."[1]

The name began to fade in the early twentieth century, especially after the Methodist Church in Canada merged with Presbyterians and Congregationalists to form the United Church of Canada in 1925. An influx of immigration from Southern and Eastern Europe greatly altered the religious balance. The puritan Methodist heritage is still in evidence, for example still having some of the strictest liquor retailing laws in North America.[citation needed]

See also

References

  1. ^ "The way we were in Toronto in 1892" Trish Worron. Toronto Star. Nov 1, 2002. pg. A.29



Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужен реферат?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Methodist Church of Canada — The Methodist Church of Canada was a united church formed in 1884 and comprising most former Methodist denominations in Canada[1] including some that had been active along Canada s eastern coast and north of the St. Lawrence River as early as the …   Wikipedia

  • Methodist Ladies' College, Perth — For other schools of the same name, see Methodist Ladies College (disambiguation). Methodist Ladies College, Perth Latin: Per Ardua Ad Alta Strive for the Highest …   Wikipedia

  • World Methodist Council — The World Methodist Council, founded in 1881, is an association of churches in the Methodist tradition which comprises most of the world s Wesleyan denominations. Extension and OrganizationThe World Methodist council comprises 76 member… …   Wikipedia

  • Methodism — Methodist redirects here. For hospitals by this name, see Methodist Hospital (disambiguation). For other uses, see Methodism (disambiguation). Part of a series on Methodism John Wesley …   Wikipedia

  • Religion in Canada — Culture of Canada This article is part of a series History Canadians Canadian identity …   Wikipedia

  • Metropolitan United Church — Met United Denomination United Church of Canada Churchmanship Liberal Evangelical Protestant Website …   Wikipedia

  • Toronto — This article is about the city in Canada. For other uses, see Toronto (disambiguation). City of Toronto redirects here. For the municipal government, see municipal government of Toronto. For the historical part of the city, see Old Toronto.… …   Wikipedia

  • Southern Ontario Gothic — is a sub genre of the Gothic novel genre and a feature of Canadian literature that comes from Southern Ontario. Writers of this sub genre include Alice Munro, Timothy Findley, Douglas Cooper, Margaret Atwood, Robertson Davies, Jane Urquhart,… …   Wikipedia

  • Name of Toronto — Part of the series on History of Toronto History …   Wikipedia

  • Grand Opera House (Toronto) — The Grand Opera House was an opera house and concert hall located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.Opened in 1874 on Adelaide Street West, west of Yonge Street, the Grand Opera House was Toronto s premier concert hall during the late 19th century.… …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”