Religion in modern Britain 1994-2015 The implications for unity

1994 2015

The starting point Religion in Britain since 1945: Believing without belonging first published in 1994 and still in print an invitation to prepare a second edition How should I do this? specifically, was it possible to continue within the framework set out in the first edition, which deployed (in a variety of ways) the notion of ‘believing without belonging’? the answer was ‘no’

Three things have changed The three are distinct but interrelated: the nature of religion and its place in British society (and indeed beyond) a step change in the study of the field – a story in its own right (new data) my own development as scholar – 20 years of thinking and writing about religion in the modern world makes a difference, not least a growing capacity to see the British situation from the outside as well as from within

The framework How should I proceed? An awareness that there are a series of factors to take into account in our understanding of religion in Britain, as indeed in Europe There are five (plus one) – see next slide The crucial point to grasp is that these push and pull in different directions A complex picture emerges, which is not easily summarized

The factors to take into account We need to consider: cultural heritage vicarious religion (essentially a public utility) a shift from obligation to consumption (a market) new arrivals secular alternatives Plus an awareness that the patterns of religion that emerge in Britain/Europe are an exception in global terms

The core theme The paradox referred to in the subtitle: on the one hand the process of secularization continues; on the other, the continuing/growing prominence of religion in public discussion The combination is hard to handle at precisely the moment when they are most needed, British people are losing the vocabulary, tools and concepts that they require in order to have a constructive conversation about faith

The consequences An ill-informed and ill-mannered debate about issues of extreme importance to the democratic future of this country A growing concern about religious literacy A number of sub-fields/specialisms within this More immediately – how do the factors set out above translate themselves into the contents and chapters of the new edition?

Contents 1 Part I: Preliminaries 1. Introduction: A Framework for Discussion 2. Contexts and Generations 3. Facts and Figures Part II Religious Legacies 4. Cultural Heritage, Believing without Belonging and Vicarious Religion 5. Territory, Politics and Institutions 6. Presence: Who Can Do What For Whom?

Contents 2 Part III Shifting Priorities: From Obligation to Consumption 7. An Emerging Market: Gainers and Losers 8. Proliferations of the Spiritual Part IV Public Religion and Secular Reactions 9. Managing Diversity 10. Religion in Public Life Part V Thinking Theoretically 11. Religion and Modernity Continued

The expected A mixture of continuity and change A wide spectrum of activity from the religiously committed (of different kinds) to articulate unbelievers The continuing importance of the middle ground fuzzy boundaries reservations about polarization Overall decline alongside notable success stories cathedrals and evangelical churches a degree of rebalancing Growing diversity driven by immigration (old and new)

The unexpected Marked and not always anticipated reversals in fortune: Levels of religious activity in England, Scotland and Wales relatively stability in England; rapid decline in Scotland and Wales Northern Ireland – the Good Friday Agreement (1998) London from a beacon of secularity to marked religious growth the extent of diversity Urban and rural situations

Regional differences

A possible summary The centre of British society is gradually shifting away from Christianity, but remains deeply coloured by it New forms of accommodation are beginning to evolve e.g. (secular) human rights Engaged Christians are likely to become one minority amongst others The cultural deposits can still be felt but in new ways a hierarchy of minorities, one of which finds expression in an established church.

Thinking theoretically From the ‘post-modern’ (1994) to the ‘post-secular’ (2015) Careful scrutiny of both terms, focusing here on the latter Perception and reality How much has changed; when did these changes occur (1960s, 1980s); and what theoretical tools are available to help us understand what has happened? Keeping in mind the changing global context 1979, 1989, 2001 and aftermath

The implications for unity

Visible unity Shared weakness does this lead to defensiveness under pressure or to imaginative collaboration? the last man/woman standing or generous partnerships Gainers and losers (see above) liberal Protestants favoured ecumenism charismatic evangelicals – more ambivalent, but it all depends on how unity is understood the place of cathedrals – needs careful thought

The World Council of Churches At the outset, post WW2, two assumptions: the world would become an increasingly secular place the forms of religion most likely to survive would be those that resembled the ‘world’ most closely – i.e. liberal forms of Protestantism Now: the world is by no means a secular place the forms of religion that are thriving are more rather than less conservative, and somewhat hesitant about ecumenism

Liverpool experience 1970s and 80s Archbishop Derek Worlock and Bishop David Sheppard Ecumenism in action Never do separately what can be done together Note the absence of political leadership at the time Together for the common good a broad coalition of Christians of different traditions, fellow faith communities and secular allies the goal: the flourishing of all people

From ecumenism to multi-faith Does one imply the other? The wider ecumenism Examples from (HE) chaplaincy – a rising profile overall Part of student services; care for all members of the University, especially the most vulnerable Chaplaincy is a Christian term How do other faiths make use of this the idea of ‘approximation’ Sophie Gilliat-Ray’s work on Muslim chaplaincy

Discussion starters

Strange Rebels: 1979 and the Birth of the 21st Century Christian Caryl argues that the turning point of the 20th century is 1979, the moment when religion and the market begin to re-assert their influence at the expense of the secular (particularly socialist) state Four protagonists and five countries: Mrs. Thatcher, Deng Xiaoping, the Ayatollah Homeini and Pope John Paul II the UK, China, Iran, Afghanistan, and Poland (then part of the former Soviet bloc)

Unresolved issues 2015 1988

Comparisons with France How will France respond to the events of 2015-2016? The significance of French history, of laïcité as an ideology? Across Europe: common themes/questions but different presenting issues Understanding what Britain is not Principle versus pragmatism A half-way case between France and the US Structure versus culture