Look at these paragraph headings. Then read the article below about the changing face of religious faith in Britain. Put the paragraph headings in the correct order.

A crisis of faith?

Are people in the modern world losing their sense of spirituality?  A hundred and fifty years ago in Britain the question may never have occurred to many people.  Britain then was an almost entirely Christian nation.  Virtually everybody attended church regularly.  Christian faith played a central role in people’s daily lives.  But Britain at the beginning of the new millennium is a very different place.

Although about seventy per cent of Britons today consider themselves to be Christians, only a small percentage of these are actively involved with their faith.  Almost half of the population never attend religious services of any kind and sixteen percent say they have no religion at all.  Many of the nation’s churches no longer act as places of worship, having become secular community centres instead.  Still others stand closed and derelict.

After so many centuries of devout Christianity, what could have brought about such a dramatic break from tradition?  A number of intellectual influences and social changes are probably responsible.  Advances in scientific knowledge have cast a shadow of doubt, and made many question their religious beliefs.  The horrific events of twentieth century history have also caused others to question the existence of God.  A wealthier population and all the temptations of the consumer society have made religious worship seem less appealing.

Yet despite these changes, it would be wrong to say that Britain has lost its sense of spirituality.  Membership of many non-Christian faiths has increased dramatically over recent decades.  Islam, for example, is Britain’s fastest growing religion and there are now over one and a half million Muslims in the population.  Members of the Sikh and Hindu faiths have also greatly increased in number over the past thirty years, and there is a rapidly growing interest in Buddhism.

Officially, Buddhists in Britain today number over a hundred and fifty thousand, but there are also many Christians who practise Buddhist meditation in addition to attending church services.  So what is it that draws people to Buddhism?  For many the appeal is the healing power, both physical and psychological, of meditation.  For others, Buddhism seems less dogmatic than many other forms of organised religion.  This may also be the reason why many people are turning to so called New Age religions.

New Age is a catch-all term which includes a variety of beliefs and practices, often with roots in ancient Celtic religions such as Druidry or mystical eastern faiths like Taoism.  It is not a religion in the traditional sense, with a holy text or an organised membership, and this is part if its appeal.  But faiths like Druidry tap into spirituality by turning to the forces of the natural world.  In an age of environmental destruction, many people are searching for a faith that brings them closer to nature.

So it seems that people in Britain are still searching for something spiritual in their lives.   Is this true in your country, too?

Read the article again. Now choose the best ending for each statement so that it reflects the ideas and opinions expressed in the text.

Complete each sentence with one of these words taken from the article.