Religion throughout history has been a ruling societal factor. and in Britain during the 19th century. this same spiritual domination can be seen. The Victorian epoch was marked by the Church of England. which developed such an influence in political relations every bit good as faith that it became hard to divide the two. The power of the church created many jobs: deficiency of infinite. non associating to its people. lip service. etc. The ambiance of the high church compared to that of the dissenting groups explains why the displacement of faith occurred with such a big response.

Wealthy ( High Church ) vs. Middle Class ( Dissenters )

In the high church. support came from the wealthy which in bend gave them a piece of the church as property-pews. These church benchs were branded with a household name and would go through from coevals to coevals. If the household moved. the church bench would stay vacant non open for others to sit in! This left the lower categories to standing suites or sitting on the floor. neither of which leave a individual experiencing morally or spiritually uplifted. This illustration of people purchasing pieces of the church displays how it was turning more concerned with political and economic involvements and less concerned with its common spiritualty.

The church’s dependance on these involvements created a topographic point that did non welcome the center and lower category believers. but was a ”preserve of the younger boies of members of the nobility who had small involvement in faith and less involvement in the turning Numberss of urban hapless. ” This stopping point relationship between church and province created a hostile ambiance between it and society. The Church developed associations to the societal loads of the clip poorness. disease. and subjugation. And became known as a group of “elite hypocrites” instead than a mass of parishioners. Since the high church merely preached to about 14 per centum of the population in England. it was merely a affair of clip before the bulk rose up and found religious safety among the dissenting groups.

Service and Worship

Manner of worship differed greatly between the Church of England and the dissidents. The Church of England had a more formal construction to it. where the dissenting churches allowed for the freedom of look. category and reputability did non apportion where you would sit. Decorating your “Sunday best” was no longer a demand for attending. This tradition of the Church of England humiliated the lower categories because many “sacrificed their ‘Sunday best’ for other investings more critical to populating. like nutrient. In the house where everyone was supposed to be equal in the eyes of God. people were slapped in the face with reminders about their place in society” . This rejection of rigorous regulations and traditions created a worship of God that was more personable and come-at-able for those who could non buy their salvation.

Preachers

Preachers of the Church of England were unapproachable. particularly in comparing to the common curate. Preachers were extremely educated and used a “highly refined language” which would travel right over the caputs of the fold. They were speaking at the people and non to the people. On the other manus. the dissenting curates talked to the people and non at the people. The fold and the curates had a friendly relationship built off of understanding non off of high quality and lower status like the high church. The high church excluded many of the lower categories. but welcomed the nobility with unfastened weaponries. The dissenting faiths were mercantile establishments for those being excluded. It was an flight from the lip service ( prophesying equality versus populating equality ) . an flight from the tradition. and an flight from the distance ( in footings of relationships ) .