| has gloss | eng: Knowledge of William Shakespeares religion is important in understanding the man and his works because of the wealth of biblical and liturgical allusions, both Protestant and Catholic, in his writings and the hidden references to contemporary religious tensions that are claimed to be found in the plays. The topic is the subject of intense scholarly debate. There is no direct evidence of William Shakespeares religious affiliation. However, over the years, there have been many speculations about the personal religious beliefs that he may have held. These speculations are based on circumstantial evidence from historical records and on analysis of his published work. Some evidence suggests that Shakespeare's family had Catholic sympathies and that he himself was a secret Catholic, though there is disagreement over whether he in fact was so, many scholars maintaining the former consensus position that he was a member of the established Anglican Church. |
