Dissent by Default

Religious dissent has taken different forms throughout history. This chapter considers the case of England in the late twentieth and early twenty-first centuries. It describes sociological trends in Christian affiliation, belief, and practice, and suggests that decreasing numbers of people conform to the traditions and teachings of the established Church of England or any other Protestant denomination. Widespread cultural norms and values have resulted in a drift away from the Church and belief is understood in subjective terms, particularly among young people. Given the overall lack of personal religious engagement in England, the chapter suggests that active dissent rests with the minorities who stand against a prevailing attitude of religious indifference to take Christianity seriously; either seriously enough to live their lives by it or seriously enough to stand against it. Active young Christians and the ‘new Atheists’ are cases in point.