Faith on the Home Front: Aspects of Church Life and Popular Religion in Birmingham 1939-1945 - Softcover

Parker, Stephen

Softcover

ISBN 10: 3039102524 ISBN 13: 9783039102525

Publisher: Verlag Peter Lang, 2006

Synopsis

The nature of religion on the domestic front in Britain during the Second World War has, hitherto, been relatively unexplored. This study focuses on Birmingham and describes wartime popular religion, primarily as recounted in oral testimony. The difference the War made to people's faith, and the consolation wrought by prayer and a religious outlook are explored, as are the religious language and concepts utilised by the wartime popular media of cinema and wireless. Clerical rhetoric about the War and concerns to spiritualise the war effort are dealt with by an analysis of locally published sources, especially parish magazines and other religious ephemera, which set the War on the spiritual as much as the military plane. A final section of the study is devoted to measuring the extent of the influence of the churches in the creation of a vision for post-war Britain and Birmingham.

About this title

About the Author

The Author: Stephen Parker is a native of Birmingham. He holds a BEd (Hons) degree in Religious and Theological Studies, a Masters degree in pastoral studies and a Ph.D. in theology, all awarded by the University of Birmingham. Formerly a lecturer in Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Chester, he is currently head of Religious Studies at Cadbury Sixth Form College, Birmingham.

Edition details

• Publisher: Verlag Peter Lang
• Publication date: 2006
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 3039102524
• ISBN 13: 9783039102525
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 249