Beyond the Walls by Paul Wilkes

Beyond the Walls by Paul Wilkes

In the 1580s, almost a century after Christopher Columbus first set foot in the New World, England could not make any substantial claim to the rich territories there. Less than a century later, England had not only founded an overseas empire but had also managed to challenge her most powerful rivals in the international arena. But before any material success accompanied English New World enterprises, a major campaign of promotion was launched with the clear objective of persuading Englishmen that intervention in the Americas was not only desirable for the national economy but even paramount for their survival as a new and powerful Protestant nation-state. In this book the author explores the metaphors that dominate England's discourse on the New World in her attempt to conceptualize it and make it ready for immediate consumption. The creators of England's proto-colonial discourse were forced to make use of their rivals' prior experience at the same time they tried to present England as radically different, thus conferring legitimacy to English claims over territories that were already occupied. One of the most outstanding consequences of this ideological contest is the emergence of an English national self not only in opposition to the American natives they try to colonise, but also, and more importantly, in contrast to other nations that had been traditionally considered culturally similar.

PAUL WILKES lectures throughout America about the crucial place of religious belief, spirituality and parish affiliation in individual lives as well the pathways to excellence available to all parishes. He is the creator of two New Beginnings curricula being used in parishes to assist in community revitalization and stewardship efforts. Paul is the author of 18 non-fiction books, a novel, and has been the host, writer, director or producer of seven PBS documentaries. Most recently, he wrote Excellent Catholic Parishes: The Guide to Best Places and Practices and Best Practices from America's Best Churches. An active parishioner, Paul lives in Wilmington, North Carolina, with his wife and two sons.