Civil war and the Church

In the week Church of England leaders discussed "the demise of Christendom", a new BBC series tells the "untold history" of how Christianity has helped shape Britain.

Pilgrims tie ribbons to the branches of the Holy Thorn

Every year thousands of pilgrims visit Glastonbury Abbey to tie love beads, friendship bracelets and ribbons to an ancient thorn tree.

Legend says the Holy Thorn is a symbol of the moment Christianity took hold on British shores.

"It is a lovely idea, it is poetry, but it doesn't stand up to academic scrutiny," says the Reverend Peter Owen-Jones.

It was not Joseph of Arimathea, also linked to the Holy Grail legend, who started the spread of Christianity to Britain by planting his staff in the ground from which the tree is said to have grown.

Instead, from about 100 AD, it was traders who spread the Christian word.

They would use code to arrange worship, like a secret sect. In those early centuries, men and women were killed for being Christian.

The Church deals with change very, very badly The Rev Peter Owen-Jones

When the Roman Empire became Christian, the faith's place in British life was assured. But as it grew, its disputes began to shape Britain's history.

Rev Owen-Jones, a parish priest in Cambridgeshire, presents The Battle for Britain's Soul, a four-part series on BBC Two looking at how major events in history were led by disputes in the Christian church.

He says the series comes at an apt time.

This week the leaders of the Church of England heard Britain had become "second or even third generation pagan".

Roundheads and cavaliers

The Church's General Synod endorsed a report that said new type of worship encouraging spiritual "seekers" to meet in cafes or youth clubs.

It also discussed homosexuality in the church. The issue has split the denomination globally after the ordination of a gay bishop in the US.

The General Synod discussed homosexuality issues this week

"Here again we have the Church saying to itself 'we cannot continue in this fashion, we must try and find a common purpose and understanding,'" says Rev Owen-Jones.

"We are going to have to reform and essentially the history is about those who want to reform and those who want to resist it.

"This has been a continual theme throughout the history of this country.

"Looking at the civil war for instance, while we see that as just roundheads and cavaliers fighting each other, the main reason this happened was a religious one."

'Wooden' church

How the Roman faith won over the Celtic faith in the 7th Century, the rise of the parishes under William the Conqueror and the Reformation, when Henry VIII split with the Catholic Church, are all dealt with in the series.

"What is the true faith has certainly shaped this country's history," says Rev Owen-Jones.

"The Church deals with change very, very badly.

"That has been exemplified once again over the past 50 years.

"As an institution it is wooden and doesn't deal with change well and it has never dealt with well historically."

The Battle for Britain's Soul begins on BBC Two at 1915 GMT on Saturday.