Dissent or Conform examines how churches reacted to, and were affected by, the two world wars. Its underlying theme, however, is how the Church can be a creatively dissenting community, focusing on how easily the church can turn into a conforming community that only encourages the occurrence of uncreative dissenters, the ones who criticize the power without offering solutions which lead to a real change.

Wilkinson opposes this trait of the church, especially given the impact that it has on society as a messenger of the gospel. To this end, the author depicts religious groups during three periods of time: English Nonconformity among the free churches before WWI, pacifists and pacifiers between the two wars and Christianity during WWII, focusing on how church history interacts with the developments in history and society.

This book is of particular interest to social and church historians of the 20th century, and to all interested in the history and ethics of war and pacifism. It will also appeal to those interested in the interaction between church and society.

Foreword by Robert Runcie, former Archbishop of Canterbury
Preface
Acknowledgements

Part I: The Free Churches and The First World War
1. The Dilemmas of Dissent
2. Dissent and the First World War
3. The Assimilation of Dissent

Part II: Pacifists and Pacifiers Between the Wars
4. Never Again!
5. Christian Pacifism
6. Can Dictators be Pacified?

Part III: English Christianity and the Second Word War
7. The Retreat From Liberal Optimism
8. A Very Different Kind of War
9. War-time Ministries
10. The Costs of Victory

Epilogue
11. Beyond Tragedy?

Notes
Index
Additional Bibliography

• Full List of Contents (PDF, 44 KB)

• Foreword by Robert Runcie (PDF, 38 KB)
• Preface (PDF, 242 KB)
• Extract from Chapter 5: Christian Pacifism (PDF, 463 KB)

Canon Alan Wilkinson is Honorary Priest at the Portsmouth Cathedral and the author of The Church of England and the First World War (SPCK 1978). He has been a Priest-in-Charge of three parishes in Nidderdale, North Yorkshire, and Director of Training in the Diocese of Ripon.