Britain's spiritual life: how can it be deepened?: Seebohm Rowntree, Russell Lavers, and the "crisis of belief", ca. 1946-54

Freeman, M. (2005) Britain's spiritual life: how can it be deepened?: Seebohm Rowntree, Russell Lavers, and the "crisis of belief", ca. 1946-54. Journal of Religious History, 29(1), pp. 25-42. (doi: 10.1111/j.1467-9809.2005.00259.x)

Abstract

This article examines the response of two social investigators in the early post-World War II period to the apparent secularization of British society. It explains how an unpublished survey that the two men carried out, along with the work of other Christian and non-Christian commentators in this period, expressed the hope that religious influences would be strengthened through secular institutions, including communal organizations, workplaces, and the military. A revival of Christian belief, in some form, was seen as a bulwark against communism in the context of the Cold War in which the Soviet regime was seen to present a threat to the "Christian civilization" of the West. The "spiritual life of the nation" was synonymous with the "national character," and for the information and opinion on which their study was based, Seebohm Rowntree and Russell Lavers turned to those who they believed were in a position to influence the national character.

• Item Type: Articles
• Additional Information: The definitive version is available at www3.interscience.wiley.com
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Freeman, Dr Mark
• Authors: Freeman, M.
• Subjects: H Social Sciences > HV Social pathology. Social and public welfare; D History General and Old World > DA Great Britain; B Philosophy. Psychology. Religion > BX Christian Denominations
• College/School: College of Social Sciences > School of Social and Political Sciences > Economic and Social History
• Journal Name: Journal of Religious History
• Publisher: Wiley-Blackwell
• ISSN: 0022-4227
• ISSN (Online): 1467-9809
• Published Online: 01 February 2005
• Copyright Holders: Copyright © 2005 Wiley-Blackwell
• First Published: First published in Journal of Religious History 29(1):25-42
• Publisher Policy: Reproduced in accordance with the copyright policy of the publisher