Figure 1.-- Here we see a church group, we believe at the heighth of the Edwardian era. The vparushioners look to us to be be very well to do, certainly not working class. We are a little surprised more of the boys are not wearing school caps. Even so we suspect this is an Anglican group. Notice the Jesus banner, we don't see any words. We are not sure how common Anglican street demonstrations were.

Christianity continued to be very importat in the Edwardian era of the early-20th century. The sene here is a hood illustration of that (figure 1). Important scientific and political developments during the 19th century in science (Darwinism) and politics (Marxism) impacted 20th century religion and theology. This was the case throughout Europe including England. There was growing influence of scince as a cure all for social problems. Some but definitely not all increasingly questioned religion because of science. This faith in science received a shock when the unsinkabkle RMS Titantic sank (1912). This was followed by the horrors of World War I which caused many to question all the old cetaintiess. This same process was further accelerated by World War II. The result was a substantial secularizaion of English society. The rise of the strongly Marxist Labour movement also led to the secularization of society. Nor only did socialust ideas have an appealn but the Anglican COE clergy usially had more in common wirg the upper classes and the bourgeois than the workers, The failure of the Labour Party to create worker paradises after winning the 1945 Generral Election showed that socialism was not an effective economic system. Real wages actually deckined. England went from the most prosperous country in Europe to lagging behind most od the Western European countries. Even so, the secular trend continued. Ro some extent this was the weakeness of the establishes Anglicamn Church of England. Aftr the War you basically have the suituation that the Archbishop of Centerbury and other church leaders were basically antheist humanitarians. The vitality of Chrustianity lay with the discenting sects. Britain had become a fiercely Protestant country from the Reformation until the early 20th century. Many British historians have tended to portray the medieval Catholic Church as corrupt and wicked and to suggest that 'the Reformation' was the beginning of Britain's greatness which in fact was the case. One can question that Protestantusm was not the reason, but it is with Elisabeth and the trimphoh of Protestantismm that England which had been a small Eurooean backwater began its metoric rise. Over time, historians have revised these ideas. Revisionist historians have portrayed the Catholic Church as better than it was previously painted and questioned the impact of Protestantism. And because of the secularuzation of soviety, Christianity has been seen as less important, even reactinary. This is history wrottem by Marxust professors or Marxist indluenced professors. Actually Christianity has been a powerful firce in English history. It is socialism that has priven to be a failed ideology. It is true, however, that Christianity has declined in importance, but by the late--20th century you have basicakly a dechririnization of England. We see rhe same process in Europe. Nothing so demonstrates this than the empty pews in the great cathedrals and Anglican churches. In contrast, Isalm hascgrown in strength among the ost-War immoigrants to England.

Created: 5:45 AM 5/3/2020
Last updated: 5:45 AM 5/3/2020