The Decline of Christendom in Western Europe, 1750}}}2000 [Hardcover]

In this 2003 text, historians, sociologists and theologians discuss the decline of Christendom in Western Europe.'Christendom' means a society where Christianity is essentially compulsory. For more than two centuries in western Europe we have been gradually moving away from Christendom, towards a society where a huge variety of religious and non-religious options are available and none is able to claim a privileged position. This book, written by historians, sociologists and theologians from six countries, and including chapters on Britain, Ireland, France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands, shows where we are now, and how we got here, and offers some predictions for the future.'Christendom' means a society where Christianity is essentially compulsory. For more than two centuries in western Europe we have been gradually moving away from Christendom, towards a society where a huge variety of religious and non-religious options are available and none is able to claim a privileged position. This book, written by historians, sociologists and theologians from six countries, and including chapters on Britain, Ireland, France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands, shows where we are now, and how we got here, and offers some predictions for the future. Christendom refers to a society where Christianity is essentially compulsory. Western Europe, however, has been gradually moving away from Christendom for more than two centuries towards a society where a great variety of religious and non-religious options are available and none is able to claim a privileged position. Written by historians, sociologists and theologians from six countries, and including chapters on most European countries, this study examines this process of increasing pluralism and its implication for the future.1. Introduction Hugh McLeod; Part I: 2. The secularisation decade: what the 1960s have done to the study of religious history Callum G. Brown; 3. Christendom in decline: the Swedish case Eva M. Haml£b