In Norwich, Green Man not only hides in the shadows of the Church of England’s cathedral but also is displayed in shop windows and jewelry shops and as pieces of art, such as paintings and sculpture. “Norwich is kind of a microcosm of England,” Lucas said. “As far as Christian history is concerned, England used to be more pagan. It’s kind of come full circle, I believe; back to paganism.”
NORWICH, England (BP) — He is difficult to find and even then is barely visible, but he’s there. Green Man, a symbol of ancient pagan religion, stares down from the nave of Norwich Cathedral. In a way, his presence is symbolic of how it has always been, and still is, in this medieval city.
Norwich has the unique distinction of being officially classified as England’s most ungodly city. That’s not unusual considering it’s the only English city to ever be excommunicated by a Roman Catholic pope.
The excommunication came in 1274. Its “ungodly” status comes from the 2011 census.
The 2011 survey has Norwich leading the way in a national shift away from Christianity, with 42.5 percent in the city saying they have no religion, against a national rate of 25.1 percent.
When residents hear they live in the most ungodly city in England, however, they aren’t surprised. They are surrounded by evidence of it every day. A myriad of shops offer spiritual, New Age and pagan paraphernalia — crystals, tarot cards, etc.
And the city that once boasted an active church built for every Sunday of the year during medieval times now has a pub for every day of the year. The pubs continue to burst with their usual patrons, but many of the churches are now art galleries, meeting halls and bookshops.
Norwich pastor Marvin Lucas is familiar with the rich heritage of one church — St. Andrews. His initial experience with the church was very different from its Christian roots, however. The church’s origins go back to 1270, but Lucas has always known it as a community center.
“It was at St. Andrews Hall where I would party,” Lucas said. “In my adolescence I remember collapsing in a drunken stupor during a party in this building. It is ironic how this place of radical religious fervor is now a place of sin and debauchery.”
Growing up in England with no exposure to biblical truth or the difference Jesus can make in one’s life, Lucas was an outspoken opponent to anything religious. At 25, however, he made a commitment to Christ and was baptized.
Now a minister of Norwich Christian Church, Lucas serves as pastor of two house churches in the area and runs a counseling center in the city.
Kirsty Bolton, a member of one of Lucas’ house churches, sees Norwich’s traditional churches as empty, cold stone buildings. Most others in the city see them this way too, she believes.
“I know very few people who actually go to church at all, very few,” Bolton said. “Those who do go to church are seen as slightly odd by other people, because the majority just don’t go. So the census result doesn’t surprise me.”
When one scratches the surface of “no religion” across the British Isles, it is not unusual to find a resurgence of paganism, some secret and some blatant. One of the best-known symbols of ancient paganism, Stonehenge, majestically sits in the English countryside. It is still the site of pagan rituals.
[Editor’s note: This article is incomplete. The source for this document was originally published on Baptist Press—however, the link (URL) to the original article is unavailable and has been removed.]
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