Tuesday, 6 September 2011

Is God still an Englishman? by Cole Moreton

If you enjoy entertaining, state-of-the-nation books with a fair dollop of theology thrown in, this is for you. One man traces his own faith journey from Christian fundementalist to agnostic against the background of the last few decades. If you've trodden a similar path, whether ideologically or chronologically, there'll be much in here that strikes a familiar chord.

Being divided into three parts with Biblical connotations (Creation, Fall, Revelations) sets out the theological agenda, but chapter headings within this have a more secular feel, with many echoing lyrics of popular songs from both church and non-church life of the 1980s: The final countdown, Make way! Make way!, When two tribes go to war etc., which reflects the mix of autobiography and theological comment (backed up by research, naturally) in the book itself. It's a sometimes odd combination of all sorts of ideas and experiences, spanning an eclectic mix of themes, even within chapters.

I found this a fascinating read, not least because it expressed many feelings I have about the Church, but I was left wondering at the end: So what do we do about it? The question in the title is answered, but there needs to be something else detailing the implications of this for the Church and society. A sequel, perhaps?

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