The politics of religious dissent in Northern Ireland

Historically, the politics of dissent has been associated with Presbyterian participation in the United Irish movement. This paper argues for a broader definition of the politics of dissent based on the two dominant theological traditions in Ulster Protestantism—Calvinism and evangelicalism. It explains how these theologies have been drawn on to challenge their own assumptions, creating a politics of dissent that promises to transcend sectarianism. It is argued that this has been the case in contexts as varied as the United Irish movement, the radical evangelical wing of the early twentieth century labour movement, and the radical evangelical wing of the contemporary civil society-based peace movement. It evaluates the significance and influence of the politics of dissent in each era, and examines the reasons why the United Irish and labour movements did not transcend sectarianism. It concludes with an analysis of the prospects for the peace movement to help transcend sectarianism.