England, God, and Everything: Bijan Omrani's God is an Englishman

A modern history--I think the first one of the podcast! Bijan Omrani's 2025 book God is an Englishman presented a thesis that I couldn't resist, that the history of England can't be unwoven from Christianity, and to ignore the Church is to reject all the things that make England English.

We take a look at the basis of Omrani's argument, and a closer look at a few aspects of English life: art, literature, architecture, and education. I think Omrani makes a good case. He's a church warden as well as an historian, and he calls to question the idea that a purely secular England can remain the country that he loves.

It's an interesting argument, especially at a time when Christianity in particular is being driven from public life in England. He's at his best when examining history, and weaker as he tries to reconcile himself to the current atmosphere of England, prescribing more compromise in hopes of turning the culture, regaining things like commonly sung hymns or a shared ideal of beauty.

But Englishman offers a solid place to consider culture from. Sometimes I think he stretches his points a little far, but overall it's an interesting take on the origins of culture, the things you just take for granted. They came from somewhere; we reject them at our peril.

BOOKS IN THIS EPISODE

Is God an Englishman? (Bijan Omrani)

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