Religion in Britain Since 1945

This work aims to do two things: to describe as accurately as possible the religious situation of Britain at the end of the 20th century; and to evaluate this evidence within a sociological framework. The book reflects the considerable variety of religious cultures within the United Kingdom.

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This work aims to do two things: to describe as accurately as possible the religious situation of Britain at the end of the 20th century; and to evaluate this evidence within a sociological framework. Two themes emerge. The first concerns the growing mismatch between indices of religious belief in this country, which remain relatively high, and statistics which reflect either religious membership (in its strict sense) or religious practice, both of which demonstrate a marked decline in the post-war period. The second theme concerns the European framework within which the book is set. As Britain moves to a greater European identity, the considerable variety of religious cultures within the United Kingdom take on a new significance.