Welcome
November 1st, 2010 § 14 Comments
You’ve come to the blog of the book about who we are these days and what we really believe in. Britain has been transformed. All the old certainties of a generation ago have gone. My new book tells the story of how that happened – but also explores what we are becoming, and whether it might actually be something to celebrate. Here you will find reviews, articles, images and film clips relating to the book, as well as the reason for the provocative title. I hope you will comment freely and often. Thanks for coming.
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In the academic world where I work – the signs are pointing in conflicting directions. Empirically, levels of participation are dropping like stones across most (but not all) sectors of organised Christianity – so faith appears to be in retreat. On the other hand, despite the shrill tones of Ditchkins (as Terry Eagleton calls them) universities are full of talk about ‘the return of religion’. Hard to figure – religion seems to be getting fresh intellectual and philosophical energy in Europe while many (especially mainline Christian) faith communities are struggling.
Callum Brown’s thesis about The Death of Christian Britain had as a central premise the decline of discursive Christianity – at a popular level he seems to be right – what is interesting are the signs of a return of religious discourse at an academic level – and the question whether it presages a broader return of interest. Discourse going quiet or underground may not mean the phenomena behind them are dead – Scottish/English/Welsh/Irish people may well go through new experiences which compel them in large numbers to go back to religious sources, because there is no other language available to give them voice. But for those who go back to Christianity, I doubt these future believers will imagine God as an Englishman… their new God will be more global
“Celebrates all that we are becoming ? ” That line certainly proves that this book will simply be trotting out the old Labour Party lie about immigration. Alas with this Government about to change, it’s about five years behind the times.
Wrong, actually, Hugh, but you’ll have to read the book to find out why. Go on, I dare you, actually read it before you review it.
I can’t say I enjoyed your book Cole, it was too searing and honest for that. However it’s raised so many questions and I sincerely thank you . I’ve followed the thread on Saga Zone in their debate section, and I’m disgusted at how their low key moderation has allowed your topic to be swept aside. As this is available to anyone on the WWW I suggest you distance yourself from it.
Thank you for writing this
Thank you, Ali, for reading and for taking the time to write here. Much appreciated.
I will take another look at the Saga debate, but would also urge anyone who is reading this to wade in, if you want to. Likewise, reviewing on Amazon or contributing wherever you see the book. And here, of course. All fair comments are extremely welcome.
Cole
I’ve bought 3 copies for friends, it’s a brilliant book. I look forward to reading you in the Guardian, sorry for the previous rant.
Ali
This book is bloody brilliant! I found it a rip roaring rollicking good read. I especially liked the bit about the sacrificing of choir boys. Cole Moreton is undoubtedly a genius and has his fingers on everyone’s pulse. His pinkies can encircle my wrist any day of the week. Cole, I wish you were one of my parishioners and I will certainly be mentioning you in my prayers. In the name of the son, the father and the Holy Goose thank you for enlightening us with this ecumenical eclaircissement. Amen.
Er, thanks “bishop”. I think.
Roo – is that you?? Or is it Weasel? God is no longer an Englishman – hasn’t been for some time, actually. God is a cab driver in the Bronx with a green card and 10 kids. These are hard times for Gods because, well, as you have said, there are so many of them and there is only just so much money in the plate as it were.
Too bad about the Empire – Fate would apologize but Fate isn’t handing out apologies anymore willy Nilly. It’s just a worthless exercise. Between Fergie and BP, there just is not any money left. Here you are going about refurbishing St. Edward’s chair for the Jubilee and there will be no money to finish the job. You will all just have to content yourselves with videos of the 2002 Jubilee on YouTube.
Well, here we have a superfluity of Gods and no one to save us. Sad, really. I believe in the second coming but with my luck, I’d be out for the day and miss the mark. Not much more to say, really. This is the way the comment ends. With a whimper. No more Blackwater.
Thank you Sam Henry, always nice to have the Labrador point of view. Excellent blog you have there, too. I would like to say, again, that I do not believe that God is or ever was an Englishman. The title comes from a quote by George Bernard Shaw a century ago: “The ordinary Britisher imagines that God is an Englishman.” He was referring to the delusion that built an empire. Part of the project of the book is to explore what happened to that delusion, but also to celebrate its passing and examine what is taking its place. So I think we agree on more than you imagine, and I would urge you to actually read the book in order to test that thought. In the meantime, as a comedian called Dave Allen used to say, may your god go with you. Cole.
THE DOG appreciates the response. If, in point of fact, the book truly exists, then THE DOG will endeavor to boot up the Windows application that scans and have a good listen.
Bernard-Shaw lives just north of us, actually – Niagara-on-the-Lake, Canada. My favorite Shaw I remember from Grad school days was one of the plays – I think it was Unpleasant- that had to do with the heroine’s attempt to join a men’s club. At center were the lines – (she) “Are you a doggedly doggy dog? (He) No, I’m more of a Catewauling cat.” (she) Well I remain doggedly doggy.” And then she walked out the door (sorry, the door part Ibsen).
THE DOG’s ancestors left the ancient Brit sod (most of Meeee) and Scotland and Ireland just when they were sure over here could provide better living than over there. They carried with them a semblance of the truth that God had never been an Englishman. But they did pack with them a bit of Blake and the conviction that “those feet” did, in fact, “walk upon England’s green and pleasant hills.”
Then their “per stirpes” returned to over there to ensure that the Hun maintained their focus on building fine motor cars rather than aircraft and rockets (had thought Luftwaffe was a pastry) AND to remind Brits that the center of the universe and all knowledge had been outsourced to over here leaving a note saying “we’ll be back for visits – please maintain all quaint places for our enjoyment as a model for our Disney.”
They didn’t enjoy the privilege of visits long before as Peter Cook and Dudley Moore and the others would say “China wanted to join in and the whole thing got out of hand.” “So you want to know [about the Depression]“? Let me be clear. We did not have anything to do with it but “I tried to put in a call to [Peking - to the leader whose name we cannot spell - to thank him for the lovely visit there but the line was engaged. There was nothing we could do to prevent the Euro from decline and the dollar from collapse].”
So you see, THE DOG more than understands and knows that the last words to pass his lips (we really do have them you know-just under the jowls)- will be “Rosebud” and “Calais” will be etched upon THE DOGheart. Then THE DOG will follow those ancient feet and go up there where everyone from “over there” and over here sing together in the heavenly choir in extreme boredom [Twain - "Captain Stormfield's Visit to Heaven.]” Yours in fiction [THE DOG is best at the real but relishes the inspired version], love of the Isles and appreciation for this encounter and experience – the canine contender.
Hi Cole
You might find this entertaining – http://samandimp.wordpress.com/2010/06/18/of-writers-and-the-clever-webs-they-weave-just-to-say-buy-the-damn-book/#comment-2592
It was prompted by my cackhandedness publishing this post http://wp.me/pDjed-pg
Paul
[...] A veritable brilliant maze of interrelated websites and comments and contacts had brought me here. I laughed until I fell out of my chair. I never leave my computer chair for anything much so [...]
Thanks, Cole, for visiting my website to view the post that mentions your book. I am sure you were either nonplussed or felt it was too edgy or badly conceived. However who was it that said publicity of any kind is good. I am one who am about the buy the book – based largely on word of mouth – Paul’s mouth but also on good reviews. I’ll be back with my feedback. Meanwhile, the post was meant to generate interest and book sales. You richly deserve it. You are a good soul and it comes through in the warp and woof in the fabric of your writing.