This book was substantially completed at the end of 1989. In the end it took the form of a PhD thesis in the Department of Theology and Religious Studies at the University of Leeds. Much of the thinking behind it, however, belongs to an earlier period of six years, during which I was working as a parish priest in this city. And my first attempt – in the event turned out to be a false start – was, in fact, to write something much more directly political in character.

No doubt there always will be tension between these three worlds: the world of academe, the domestic-religious world of the parish, the secular political world – each with its own quite distinct agenda. Yet it seems to me there is good reason to join with Hegel in lamenting the spiritual fragmentedness of our culture in particular, here. I only wish there were some more obviously effective way to try and set about dismantling the partitions.

I would especially like to thank my thesis supervisor, Haddon Willmer, for all the encouragement he has given me, his sympathy, his many useful suggestions relating to the text. I am grateful, too, to Professor Stephen Houlgate for a number of very helpful comments.

I would like to thank the people of St Martin's Potternewton, and Christ the Saviour, Swinnow, for all that I learnt from them, and for their kindness towards me.