Abstract: The 1960s were a time of explosive religious change. In the Christian churches, it was a time of innovation from the ‘new theology’ and ‘new morality’ of Bishop Robinson, to the evangelicalism of the Charismatic Movement, and of charismatic leaders, such as Pope John XXIII and Martin Luther King. But it was also a time of rapid social and cultural change when Christianity faced challenges from Eastern religions, from Marxism and feminism, and above all from new ‘affluent’ lifestyles. Using oral history, this book tells in detail how these movements and conflicts were experienced in England, but because the 1960s were an international phenomenon, it also looks at other countries, especially the USA and France. The book explains what happened to religion in the 1960s, why it happened, and how the events of that decade shaped the rest of the 20th century.

Keywords: Christianity, new theology, new morality, Bishop Robinson, Charismatic Movement, Pop John XXIII, Martin Luther King, 1960s