1. Religion

2. Historical background  Britain is mainly a Christian country.  The origins of Christianity date back the Roman occupation of England.  Between AD 596-7 the Anglo-Saxon Kings foster the spread of Christianity as a support of their power, then the connection between state and church started.  Henry VIII and the Act of Supremacy in 1534.  Henry VIII titled by the Pope: Fidei Defensor

3.  The Catholic Counter-Reformation and Mary Tudor.  The Protestant status of the Church is definitely established by Queen Elizabeth I (1558-1603).  Dissenters and Free Churches.  The Puritan regime of Oliver Cromwell brought the discrimination of minority religions.

4.  1688 the Glorious Revolution, William III sympathized with the Catholic cause.  By the end of the 19 th century also non- Christian Churches scattered throughout England.  Today there is no tie between any religion and political parties, the only exception is that the monarch is also the head of the Church of England.  It has been observed a decline in religious observance and attendance at services.

5. The Church of England  The Church of England is not a state church.  The Church is hierarchical structure ruled by the Archibishops of Canterbury and York.  Together with the 24 senior bishops sit in the House of Lords.  Bishoprics are divided in 13,000 parishes each headed by a vicar or a rector.  The vicarage is also the abode of the vicar.

6.  All the financial revenues of the Church come from its property and investments holdings.  The Church of England is the third largest landholder in the UK, its patrimony is estimated at £400 million.  Differences between the High and Low Church services (Evangelical influences).  The membership of the Church of England is manifold.  There is still an open debate on the role of women in the Church of England as well as on the presence of gay priests.  The Lambeth Conference held every ten years in London.

7. The Church of Scotland  It is more commonly called the Kirk and it has been independent from the Church of England since 1707.  It was established in 1560 by John Knox in opposition to the Church of England accused to be still too close to Roman Catholicism.  It is based on Calvin’s doctrine which in Scotland bears the name of Presbyterianism.  The General Assembly is the main structural body of this church.