Globalization, postmodernity, culture shift and the Church of England.

The aim of the thesis is to demonstrate the operation of the three major sociological forces of Globalization, Postmodernity and Culture Shift in the life of a religious institution, the Church of England.

An introduction sets out detailed arguments for accepting the proposition from which the thesis starts. This leads into the first major section of the thesis, which deals with the sociology. Chapter two describes Globalization and Postmodernity. Chapter three considers the likely consequences of those forces for a religious institution. Chapter four describes Culture Shift and its likely consequences.

The second major section is a study of the Church of England's relations with New Religious Movements (NRMs) during the 1980s. Chapter five introduces NRMs. Chapter six indicates how the C of E became involved in this issue, dealing with initial recommendations to the House of Bishops. Chapter seven deals with the setting up of the organisation, INFORM. Chapter eight deals with Guidelines for dealing with NRMs and the setting up of a system of advisers. Chapter nine deals with the production of a report to General Synod and related action.

The third major section is a study of the revision of the Church's liturgy during the 1970s and 1980s. Chapter ten sets the scene. Chapter eleven considers the text of The Alternative Service Book 1980, while chapter twelve considers opposition to it. Chapter thirteen considers the latest publication, Patterns for Worship.

Throughout these two studies the operation of Globalization, Postmodernity and Culture Shift is demonstrated either through events or through the texts produced by the Church of England. It is further argued that the C of E has worked with the grain of those sociological forces.