The evolution of the English churches, 1500-2000
"This book tells the story of the English churches over a 500-year period from the Reformation to the present day. Unlike some general histories which concentrate on church leaders, it focuses upon the lives of ordinary churchgoers and of the local clergy who ministered to them." "The author traces changes in church life, charting the emergence and distinctive characteristics of different denominations. She gives full weight to recent developments, bringing the story up to date by examining the growth of new independent churches in the late twentieth century. The book will therefore be of value not only to students of church history but also to readers who want to understand the religious background of past societies. Churchgoers, curious about their heritage, and anyone interested in the changing role of religion in English life should find this account lucid and illuminating."--Jacket
Church history
xiv, 399 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm
9780521642057, 9780521645560, 0521642051, 0521645565
1104850717
Preface
Buildings, beliefs and community life
From Catholic to Protestant
Moulding the character of the church
Conflict, coercion, and compromise
Dissenters, Catholics, and Anglicans
The eighteenth-century revival
Diversity, competition, and strife
The vigour of Christianity
Churches, chapels and Protestant worship
Perceptions of faith c. 1850-2000
Church communities in the modern world
Churches together and churches apart
Bibliographical essay
Index