Berkley Center

From a chronological standpoint, the time span of American history is infinitesimal compared to that of Britain, whose shores were conquered and settled by the same Romans who crucified Christ. And this isn’t even to mention the island’s pre-Roman inhabitants. In terms of a contiguous and culturally connected history, America doesn’t even compare with Great Britain. That being said, I also think that the United Kingdom has many centuries lying ahead of her.

I have discovered that Christianity’s historical depth in England has given way to a general sentiment that modern society has “grown out of the church.” There’s a been-there-done-that attitude that strikes me as the rebellious attitude of a teenager against longstanding Christian traditions that have become part and parcel of what it means to be English.

Perhaps Britons are not fully aware of the cultural progressions that have slowly led to this state of historical complacency. This does not mean, however, that they are ignorant. In fact, I would argue that the British people’s pride in their great cultural legacy is precisely what has caused this culture of contentment. To illustrate, life is much slower and simpler here than in the United States. Although London is a metropolis with fast-moving and fast-talking people, I still find that it operates on a comparatively slower pace than Washington, D.C. While the United States is still striving to make its mark on world history, Great Britain no longer really has anything to prove because of its already-rich history and long list of achievements.

Moreover, I have only recently learned from a friend who’s studying theology that religious education is part of core curriculum from primary school to sixth form (the last two years of secondary school). In these classes, students learn about and discuss the major world religions. In my public school education, there was an elective class offered on religion, but there certainly isn’t an official curriculum on different religious beliefs and worldviews. As great as the British system is at teaching cultural understanding, many argue that this kind of pluralism threatens the cultural stability that Christianity has provided for Great Britain throughout the centuries.

For me, this predicament calls to mind the image of a middle-aged man who is torn between an old, reliable Honda Accord and a new Porsche that he can hardly afford.