Was Shakespeare Catholic?

A new book by Joseph Pearce posits that he was, and that since Shakespeare avoided the fate of many of his friends who were Catholic and were persecuted, he hid his faith. Noting how elusive a figure Shakespeare is in history, the book description reads:

The Quest for Shakespeare claims that books about the Bard have got him totally wrong. They misread the man and misread the work. The true Shakespeare has eluded the grasp of the critics. Dealing with the facts of Shakespeare’s life and times, Pearce's quest leads to the inescapable conclusion that Shakespeare was a believing Catholic living in very anti-Catholic times.

Many of his friends and family were persecuted, and even executed, for their Catholic faith. And yet he seems to have avoided any notable persecution himself. How did he do this? How did he respond to the persecution of his friends and family? What did he say about the dreadful and intolerant times in which he found himself? The Quest for Shakespeare answers these questions in ways that will enlighten and astonish those who love Shakespeare’s work, and that will shock and outrage many of his critics

The Quest for Shakespeare

The Bard of Avon and the Church of Rome

is available at Ignatius Press at the above link.

[Update: Just saw a review of Pearce's book Literary Giants, Literary Catholics over at the Curt Jester so am adding that!]