The Church in Wales : The Sociology of a Traditional Institution

The Church in Wales: The Sociology of a Traditional Institution breaks new ground by providing for the first time a description and analysis of the territorial organization of a church and by demonstrating the way in which the resulting distribution of resources serves to reinforce the traditional emphasis on maintenance rather than mission. The study also offers a wide-ranging review of the beliefs and activities of members of the Church, both clerical and lay, and of the limitations and restrictions which entrenched attitudes impose on the utilization of their commitment and talents. It also considers the problems which a post-modern and secular culture poses for religious belief and witness, and assesses the difficulty of effecting change within a traditional organization.

In this lucidly written book, Christopher Harris and Richard Startup present a rounded view of a major church which will be of interest not only to specialists but to all who seek to understand the changing nature of organized religion within contemporary society.