Although organized religion is in decline, most funerals in Britain continue to be conducted according to the rites of one or other of the Christian churches. This book seeks to give those engaged in or training for the pastoral ministry two things: first, some sense of how the place of religion, the nature of the funeral service and patterns of dying, mourning and grieving have changed in Britain recently (roughly from the 1960s); second, some pointers to good practice today.

Author Biography

The Revd Dr Alan Billings teaches pastoral studies to Anglican Readers and ordinands in training. Over the years he has taught pastoral studies at Anglican Colleges - Cuddedon and Mirfield - and ecumenically at Queens, Birmingham and on the West Midlands training course, of which he was the principal. He is Vicar of St George's Church, Kendal.