One Island Many Faiths: The Experience of Religion in Britain Book

During the second half of the twentieth century, partly as the aftermath of World War II and more directly as a result of the dissolution of the Empire, Britain gradually evolved from a fairly rigid unicultural nation into a melting pot of ethnic groups and faiths. This significant and fascinating change in the national configuration prompted Rachel Morton to tour the country with her camera, exploring the multitude of religions and their devotees. From Protestant sects to Bahai, from Reform Judaism to Jainism, from Islam to a number of New Age adherents, Morton has photographed and interviewed individuals or groups of believers at prayer, meditating, or engaged in other related activities. Every picture is accompanied by a personal statement from the people involved, explaining how they came to their faith, what it means to them, and what it does for them. The photographs are models of empathy and understanding that reveal unexpected and inspiring examples of fortitude in belief. The book also contains a concise essay by Alison Seaman and Alan S. Brown, members of Shap Working Party on World Religions in Education, London, that helps clarify the wide range of religious activities in Britain today.