Religion and secularism. General attitude to religion

1. Religion and secularism

2. General attitude to religion

Formally, Britain is a Christian country with
established churches (Church of England,
Church of Scotland)
Reality – far more complex and varied, due
to:
–
–
–
–
–
decline in active religious observance
decline in Christian values, esp. among the
young
spreading of non-Christian religions (Muslim,
Sikh, Hindu, etc.)
rising popularity of the New Age movement
advance of secular humanism/atheism

3. Britain's spiritual landscape

Evolution of religion in Britain – ingrained into the country's
landscape
The presence of a church (or two) in every village, some dating
to the 7th century
In addition, the towns/cities feature churches and chapels of
various Christian denominations (Anglican, Catholic, Methodist,
Quaker)
Some of these churches are derelict or serve different purposes
(art centres, shops, nightclubs, apartments)
Mosques are becoming more common in areas with high
density of Muslim population
Most high streets now – have New Age shops (selling
merchandise related to mythology, witchcraft, astrology,
spiritualism)> these often function as meeting places for
followers

4. Some images I

5. Some images II

6. Religion as part of heritage industry

7. The Church of England

The Church of England (C of E, Anglican Church) – established by the
Tudor king Henry VIII in 1533 for dynastic reasons (seeking divorce from
his wife unable to bear him a son/male heir)
• Head of the Church = the monarch > unlike in the USA, there is no
separation of Church from State; the church is formally tied with British
insitutions (monarchy, Parliament)
• The monarch's role in the Church today is to:
“* approve the appointment of archbishops, bishops and deans (on the
recommendation of the Prime Minister)
* formally open each new session (every five years) of the General
Synod (the church's governing body)
* promise to maintain the Church in his or her coronation oath.“
http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/cofe/cofe_1.shtml

8. (Lack of) political influence

In real terms, however, the Church has almost no direct influence
on politics
Similarly, British politicians avoid religious agenda
“We don't do God”. - Alastair Campbell, adviser to Tony Blair
The Church's nickname “Tory party at prayer“ > does not refer to
its political identification with Conservative policies, but, rather,
with its role as the guardian of Britain's traditions and established
ideas
The most typical+important aspect = its Englishness (the reasons
behind its origin – partiotic and utilitarian, not doctrinal) > it is a
fairly tolerant and flexible church, without fundamentalism

9. Hierarchy

The Church - divided into two
provinces - Canterbury (South)
and York (North)
The Heads (Primates) of the
provinces - Archbishop of
Canterbury and York,
respectively
The provinces – further divided
into dioceses, headed by bishops
The smallest unit – parish
(„farnost“) > historically a crucial
unit of local government and of
community life
Head of the parish – a parish
priest (often called vicar or rector)
All Church officials can marry;
there is no celibacy requirement

10. Archbishops Justin Welby (Canterbury) and John Sentamu (York)

11. Historical sources of Anglicanism

King James' Bible (1611) „And he
said unto them, Go ye into all the
world, and preach the gospel to
every creature. He that believeth
and is baptized shall be saved;
but he that believed not shall be
damned. And these signs shall
follow them that believe; in my
name shall they cast out devils;
they shall speak with new
tongues.“ (Mark 16:15)
Book of Common Prayer
(the first version published in
1549)
Lord's Prayer
Our Father, which art in
heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come;
thy will be done,
in earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily
bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive them that
trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation;
but deliver us from evil.
[For thine is the kingdom,
the power, and the glory,
for ever and ever.] Amen.

12. Church of Scotland

Also called “Kirk“ > a national
church in Scotland; established in
1560 as part of the Reformation
movement (Calvinist reformer
John Knox)
Unlike the C of E > independent of
the State
42% of Scots identify the Kirk as
their religion; but active
membership is only 9% of the
population
The British monarch – not a
supreme governor; s/he has a
purely formal role
The highest body: the General
Assembly, presided over by a
Moderator
A critical portrayal of Scottish
Presbyterianism (its oldfashionedness and rigidity): the
movie Breaking the Waves by

13. From the life of the Church

14. Passive religion

the English – one of the least
religious nations in the world
(alongside the Czechs)
although 88 per cent of people
admit belonging to one of the
churches in Britain, mostly
Church of England, only 15 per
cent actually attend church
for most > the only occasions of
attendance are christenings,
weddings and funerals
(hatchings, matchings and
dispatchings)
For most British, religion is not a
significant factor of their lives
„God is all very well, in his place, which
is in the Church. When we are in His
house – at weddings and funerals –
we make all the right polite noises,
although we find the earnestness of it
all faintly ridiculous and a bit
uncomfortable. Otherwise, He
intrudes very little on our lives or our
thoughts. Other people are very
welcome to worship him if they
choose – it´s a free country – but this
is a private matter, and they should
keep it to themselves and not bore or
embarass the rest of us by making
unnecessary fuss about it (there is
nothing the English hate more than a
fuss)”. – Kate Fox: Watching the English

15. Current issues of the Church

Existence of women priests,
plus ordination of gay
clergy > this liberal
initiative alienates
traditionalists (esp. in
Commonwealth countries)
> risk of schism; some
clergy are defecting to
Roman Catholic Church

16. Other Christian denominations

Catholics (increasing in active
membership due to Polish
immigration)
Presbyterians, Methodists,
Baptists, Quakers > former
“dissenters“ (descedants of the
Puritans)
Evangelical Christians >
include several churches and groups
which are becoming increasingly
popular (esp. Pentecostals)
character : less emphasis on
dogma and sin, more emphasis
on the spiritual and miraculous
sometimes called
`charismatic` Christianity
the meetings – include joyful
singing + healing of the sick

17. New Age

a recent spiritual trend; a
movement – not a religion!
originated partly as a reaction
against modern-age materialism,
partly against the dogmatized
and institutionalized form of
Christian religion
loosely connects a wide range of
beliefs – some elements of
Christianity, Eastern philosophy
and mysticism, paganism, Native
American spirituality, Nature
worship, etc.
main feature : respect for Mother
Earth strong ecological
orientation

18. Non-Christian faiths

Islam (moderate or
radical)
Hinduism
Buddhism
Sikhism
minorities are
religiously far more
active than the native
Brits

19. Secular humanism

– a widespread non-religious approach to life,
especially common among the left-wing
establishment
“Secular humanism is a humanist philosophy
that espouses reason, ethics and justice and
, and specifically rejects supernatural and
religious dogma as the basis of morality and
decision-making. Like other types of
humanism, secular humanism is a life stance
that focuses on the way human beings can
lead good, happy and functional lives.
The term "secular humanism" was coined in
the 20th century, and was adopted by nonreligious humanists in order to make a clear
distinction from " religious humanism“.
Secular humanism is also called "scientific
humanism". Biologist E.O. Wilson claimed it
to be "the only worldview compatible with
science's growing knowledge of the real
world and the laws of nature".
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Secular_humanism
most famous protagonist – Richard Dawkins
a biologist focused on evolutionary theory
author of book The God Delusion (Boží
blud)
advocate of rational, logical thinking,
campaigner against irrationality and
religion in all forms
Quote:
“I am against religion because it teaches us to
be satisfied with not understanding the
world.“

20. Other famous secular humanists

Christopher Hitchens
Anglo-American left-wing journalist
Admirer of George Orwell, Thomas Paine and
Thomas Jefferson
champion of the "New Atheism" movement;
believer in the philosophical values of the
Enlightenment
His argument = the idea of God as the
supreme being is a totalitarian one;
destroying individual freedom; science, not
religion, should be the bearer of ethical
values
Phillip Pullman
writer and supporter of the British
Humanist Association and an
Honorary Associate of the
National Secular Society.
His most famous work, expressing
his strong agnosticism: the fantasy
trilogy His Dark Materials