Joseph Pearce
Encyclopedia
Joseph Pearce is an English-born writer, and Writer in Residence and Professor of Literature at Ave Maria University
in Ave Maria, Florida
; previously he had a comparable position, from 2001, at Ave Maria College
in Ypsilanti, Michigan
. He is known for a number of literary biographies, many of Catholic figures. Formerly aligned with the National Front
, a white nationalist
political party, he converted to Roman Catholicism in 1989, repudiated his earlier views, and now writes from a Catholic perspective. He is a co-editor of the St. Austin Review
and editor-in-chief of Sapientia Press. He also teaches Shakespearian literature for Homeschool Connections, an online Catholic curriculum provider.
, and brought up in Dagenham
, England. At the age of fifteen he joined the National Front
(NF), a far-right political party opposed to a multi-racial and multi-cultural England. He was closely involved in NF organisational activities and first came to prominence in 1977 when, at the age of sixteen, he set up Bulldog, the paper
of the organization. Bulldog became associated with some of the most virulent NF propaganda and Pearce was twice convicted under the Race Relations Act of 1976
, serving time in prison in 1982 and 1985–1986. In 1980, Pearce became editor of Nationalism Today, in which he argued vehemently in favour of racial preservation, producing a pamphlet entitled Fight for Freedom! on this theme in 1982. He was a frequent visitor to Northern Ireland and he maintained regular contact with the Ulster Defence Association
Pearce attributes his subsequent religious conversion from a culturally-Protestant agnosticism
to Roman Catholicism in part to reading G. K. Chesterton
, whose biography he later wrote. He now repudiates his former views, saying that his racism
stemmed from hatred, and that his conversion has completely changed his outlook.
As a Catholic author, he has focused mainly on the work of Catholic English writers, such as Chesterton and Hilaire Belloc
. His book Literary Converts, published in 1999, captures this interest and showcases the process of conversion of many writers who became convinced Catholics. Pearce has also promoted the social doctrine of the Church, in particular Distributism
as a Catholic economic system. His main contribution in this area has been his book Small is Still Beautiful, which takes up the theme proposed earlier by E. F. Schumacher
in his book Small is Beautiful
.
based on his book The Quest for Shakespeare: The Bard of Avon and the Church of Rome. The show concentrates on the evidence that Shakespeare was a Catholic and consists of thirteen episodes.
Ave Maria University
Ave Maria University or AMU is a private Catholic university in southwest Florida, United States, founded in 2003. The university moved to its permanent campus, situated in the planned town of Ave Maria, east of Naples, Florida, in August 2007...
in Ave Maria, Florida
Ave Maria, Florida
Ave Maria, Florida, United States is a planned college town currently under development in Collier County, near Immokalee and Naples. It is an unincorporated community, founded in 2005 by a partnership consisting of the Barron Collier Cos., a large diversified private company, and the Ave Maria...
; previously he had a comparable position, from 2001, at Ave Maria College
Ave Maria College
Ave Maria University - Latin American Campus ' is a branch campus of Ave Maria University in Florida, United States. It is located in the small town of San Marcos, Carazo, Nicaragua...
in Ypsilanti, Michigan
Ypsilanti, Michigan
Ypsilanti is a city in Washtenaw County in the U.S. state of Michigan. As of the 2000 census, the city population was 22,362. The city is bounded to the north by the Charter Township of Superior and on the west, south, and east by the Charter Township of Ypsilanti...
. He is known for a number of literary biographies, many of Catholic figures. Formerly aligned with the National Front
British National Front
The National Front is a far right, white-only political party whose major political activities took place during the 1970s and 1980s. Its popularity peaked in the 1979 general election, when it received 191,719 votes ....
, a white nationalist
White nationalism
White nationalism is a political ideology which advocates a racial definition of national identity for white people. White separatism and white supremacism are subgroups within white nationalism. The former seek a separate white nation state, while the latter add ideas from social Darwinism and...
political party, he converted to Roman Catholicism in 1989, repudiated his earlier views, and now writes from a Catholic perspective. He is a co-editor of the St. Austin Review
St. Austin Review
The St. Austin Review is a Catholic international review of culture and ideas. It is edited by author and columnist Joseph Pearce and writer Robert Asch...
and editor-in-chief of Sapientia Press. He also teaches Shakespearian literature for Homeschool Connections, an online Catholic curriculum provider.
Life
Pearce was born in East LondonNorth East (London sub region)
The North East is a sub-region of the London Plan corresponding to the London Boroughs of Tower Hamlets, Newham, Waltham Forest, Redbridge, Havering, Barking and Dagenham, and the City of London. The sub region was established in 2008 and replaced the larger East sub region that had been...
, and brought up in Dagenham
Dagenham
Dagenham is a large suburb in East London, forming the eastern part of the London Borough of Barking and Dagenham and located east of Charing Cross. It was historically an agrarian village in the county of Essex and remained mostly undeveloped until 1921 when the London County Council began...
, England. At the age of fifteen he joined the National Front
British National Front
The National Front is a far right, white-only political party whose major political activities took place during the 1970s and 1980s. Its popularity peaked in the 1979 general election, when it received 191,719 votes ....
(NF), a far-right political party opposed to a multi-racial and multi-cultural England. He was closely involved in NF organisational activities and first came to prominence in 1977 when, at the age of sixteen, he set up Bulldog, the paper
Newspaper
A newspaper is a scheduled publication containing news of current events, informative articles, diverse features and advertising. It usually is printed on relatively inexpensive, low-grade paper such as newsprint. By 2007, there were 6580 daily newspapers in the world selling 395 million copies a...
of the organization. Bulldog became associated with some of the most virulent NF propaganda and Pearce was twice convicted under the Race Relations Act of 1976
Race Relations Act 1976
The Race Relations Act 1976 was established by the Parliament of the United Kingdom to prevent discrimination on the grounds of race.Items that are covered include discrimination on the grounds of race, colour, nationality, ethnic and national origin in the fields of employment, the provision of...
, serving time in prison in 1982 and 1985–1986. In 1980, Pearce became editor of Nationalism Today, in which he argued vehemently in favour of racial preservation, producing a pamphlet entitled Fight for Freedom! on this theme in 1982. He was a frequent visitor to Northern Ireland and he maintained regular contact with the Ulster Defence Association
Ulster Defence Association
The Ulster Defence Association is the largest although not the deadliest loyalist paramilitary and vigilante group in Northern Ireland. It was formed in September 1971 and undertook a campaign of almost twenty-four years during "The Troubles"...
Pearce attributes his subsequent religious conversion from a culturally-Protestant agnosticism
Agnosticism
Agnosticism is the view that the truth value of certain claims—especially claims about the existence or non-existence of any deity, but also other religious and metaphysical claims—is unknown or unknowable....
to Roman Catholicism in part to reading G. K. Chesterton
G. K. Chesterton
Gilbert Keith Chesterton, KC*SG was an English writer. His prolific and diverse output included philosophy, ontology, poetry, plays, journalism, public lectures and debates, literary and art criticism, biography, Christian apologetics, and fiction, including fantasy and detective fiction....
, whose biography he later wrote. He now repudiates his former views, saying that his racism
Racism
Racism is the belief that inherent different traits in human racial groups justify discrimination. In the modern English language, the term "racism" is used predominantly as a pejorative epithet. It is applied especially to the practice or advocacy of racial discrimination of a pernicious nature...
stemmed from hatred, and that his conversion has completely changed his outlook.
As a Catholic author, he has focused mainly on the work of Catholic English writers, such as Chesterton and Hilaire Belloc
Hilaire Belloc
Joseph Hilaire Pierre René Belloc was an Anglo-French writer and historian who became a naturalised British subject in 1902. He was one of the most prolific writers in England during the early twentieth century. He was known as a writer, orator, poet, satirist, man of letters and political activist...
. His book Literary Converts, published in 1999, captures this interest and showcases the process of conversion of many writers who became convinced Catholics. Pearce has also promoted the social doctrine of the Church, in particular Distributism
Distributism
Distributism is a third-way economic philosophy formulated by such Catholic thinkers as G. K...
as a Catholic economic system. His main contribution in this area has been his book Small is Still Beautiful, which takes up the theme proposed earlier by E. F. Schumacher
E. F. Schumacher
Ernst Friedrich "Fritz" Schumacher was an internationally influential economic thinker, statistician and economist in Britain, serving as Chief Economic Advisor to the UK National Coal Board for two decades. His ideas became popularized in much of the English-speaking world during the 1970s...
in his book Small is Beautiful
Small Is Beautiful
Small Is Beautiful: Economics As If People Mattered is a collection of essays by British economist E. F. Schumacher. The phrase "Small Is Beautiful" came from a phrase by his teacher Leopold Kohr...
.
Publications
Published in the United States as Published in the United States as (Book Review and Summary)Television
Joseph Pearce is the host of the EWTN television series The Quest for ShakespeareThe Quest for Shakespeare
The Quest for Shakespeare is a television documentary series shown on cable channel EWTN. It is written and presented by author Joseph Pearce about William Shakespeare, and specifically the evidence that his religion was Catholic. The series comprises thirteen episodes that began airing May 2009...
based on his book The Quest for Shakespeare: The Bard of Avon and the Church of Rome. The show concentrates on the evidence that Shakespeare was a Catholic and consists of thirteen episodes.
External links
- Personal site
- Autobiographical page
- Saint Austin Review
- Clips of Joseph Pearce speaking about his conversion: 1, 2
- Joseph Pearce speaks about his conversion
- The Quest for Shakespeare, EWTN's page for the TV show