SCOTLAND’S leading historian Sir Tom Devine has rejected a fellow academic’s claim that anti-Catholic bigotry is rife at universities and colleges.

Professor James Arthur of the University of Birmingham said that British academia is a hotbed of ‘secular anti-Catholicism’ - which he called ‘last acceptable bigotry in Britain.’.

But Sir Tom, himself a Catholic, said that he had never encountered bias against his faith in his all years teaching at Edinburgh, Strathclyde and Aberdeen Universities.

He also dismissed as “rubbish” a claim by the professor that the "less Catholic" adherents of the faith are, the “less useful they are to the mission of the Church”.

The Herald: Sir Tom Devine Sir Tom Devine

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Speaking at an event organised by Glasgow University, Prof Arthur said that he had been at ‘too many dinner parties among university academics’ to deny that ‘anti-Catholicism is the last acceptable bigotry in Britain.’

“I have listened to conversations about how the Church is cruel to women, to gays, how the Church is hopelessly sexist and hypocritical and much, much worse besides,” he added.

“Protestant anti-Catholicism has long been superseded by secular anti-Catholicism. Indeed, I believe secular anti-Catholicism is far more dangerous.”

Prof Arthur warned that Catholics in Scotland needed to be honest about the fact that their religion is being “lost and rejected” in many places, including schools.

He also said that many Catholics had “de-emphasised” their religious identity to live in peaceful co-existence with “secular modernity.”

He further claimed that fears about the integrity of Catholic schools which surfaced almost a century ago when they were integrated into the state system were still relevant today.

However, Sir Tom said that he had never encountered anti-Catholic sentiments from his colleagues.

He said: “Everybody has different experiences, but I have never had the kind of experience which Professor Arthur talks about, and I have taught at three Scottish Universities - Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Strathclyde,” he said, adding jocularly:”Although perhaps I do not get invited to those sorts of dinner parties.”

Sir Tom continued: “However, I would be surprised if there was not a conflict between the moral and theological values of Catholicism and materialistic secularism. They are poles apart and it would be strange indeed if there was no tension between the two.

“The tension is inevitable. All Catholics, like their fellow human beings, live in the real world and inevitably there are tensions between their beliefs and what is approaching a post-Christian society.”

Addressing Prof Arthur’s claim that being “less Catholic” weakened the church, Sir Tom said: “That kind of sentiment is rubbish because the assumption is that all members of the Catholic community are saints.

“We are living in the real world with all its temptations and it is inevitable that Catholics will be affected by that, just as other people are.

“But it does not negate the commitment of practicing Catholics to their faith.”

He added: “I would reject Professor Arthur concerns about the 1918 education Act. Catholic schools in secular Scotland should be eternally grateful for that legislation.

“By any measure, Catholic education was falling repeatedly behind the non-denominational system. The 1918 Act lifted the financial burden from the community and uniquely in the world provided safeguards for Catholic moral teaching, appointment of staff and access to schools and clergy.

“It should be added that the majority Protestant community never secured such privileges.”

“Catholic schools have never been so popular. They even attract non-Christians families because of the values they profess and the fine education they provide.

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