The Impact of Religion on Contemporary Britain
While living in London for several weeks, one of the things that stood out to me the most what how present religion is in everyday society. Although I went to Catholic schools for 12 years and consider religion to be an integral part of my life, I still noticed a significant difference between the way it is presented in public in the US and the UK. In London, there were many instances in which we encountered people, places, and traditions that are deeply rooted in religion. For example, there were several occasions when we talked about the coronation of English monarchs and the details of their ceremonies. Specifically, while visiting the Tower of London, we were able to view a video of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation in 1953. There are quite a few religious rituals that take place during a coronation, such as the anointing with holy oil, the new monarch swearing an oath to protect the law and the Church of England, and the Archbishop of Canterbury presiding over the entire ceremony. A monarch’s coronation is a perfect example of how something that is so central to British identity, the monarchy, is rooted in religion. While higher powers in the US, such as the president, sometimes invoke religious phrases or traditions, it is nowhere near the same extent as in the UK.
Another example is the poem “And did those Feet in Ancient Time” by William Blake, which we discussed in class. This poem has strong religious themes, and it asks the reader whether Jesus walked through the “pleasant pastures” of England. It also acts as a sort of call to arms, saying that Brits will not rest until they build up England to be a holy land like Jerusalem. We saw a video in class where a crowd of thousands of people sang the musical version of the poem at the annual Proms. Religious or not, everyone sang along in support of their country, almost as if the poem is a sort of national anthem. This poem is a great example of something that is a central part of what it means to be British, and the fact that it is religious in nature shows that religion continues to have a significant impact on the way Brits see themselves and their country.
While there are certainly some differences in the way religion impacts society in the US and the UK, there are similarities that also exist. The most significant would be the apparent prejudice and preconceived ideas against people of certain religions being in positions of power. In the UK, the monarch is a member of the Church of England. Having the monarch, a person who plays a big part of British identity, be the head of a certain religion makes a big statement on how important religion is in society. While some Brits may tell you that the monarchy is becoming more progressive, the fact is that there is a certain standard regarding religion that the royal family needs to follow. While Meghan Markle made headlines for being the first Catholic to marry into the royal family, she has since converted into the Church of England. A similar “standard” exists in the US. Most US presidents belong to some Christian denomination, with more than half being Episcopalian or Presbyterian. When John F. Kennedy became the first Catholic president in 1961, it caused a lot of uproar throughout the country. While America could claim to be a forward-thinking country that separates church and state, anything that differs from the traditional would make headlines. Even today, we still have yet to see a Jewish or Muslim president. While I can certainly see this happening in my lifetime, it would without a doubt cause a lot of controversy in the US. In both the US and UK, religion continues to play a role in forming the standards for people in positions of power.
It is easy to look at a modern country like England and assume that its citizens are not very religious. However, through these examples, it is clear that religion continues to make up a central part of British identity. From the monarchy down to more everyday events, you do not have to wait long before encountering something in London that is based in religion. It will be interesting to see if any changes to religion’s importance occur in the future as society advances and progresses forward.
Works Cited
"The Religious Affiliations of US Presidents" https://www.pewforum.org/2009/01/15/the-religious-affiliations-of-us-presidents/