CONSIDERING that Britain is a deeply secular country, there is a
lot of God about this Christmas. Austerity is a part of the
explanation. With the core cultural activity of modern
Britain—shopping for stuff—losing its lustre, there are hints of
a nation groping for something more profound.  For millions,
austerity Christmas will include a dose of carols. The trend has
been noticeable for a couple of years. The great cathedrals
expect to be packed on Christmas Eve. Charity services, family
services, carols by candlelight and sing-along concerts abound.
A London church, St Martin-in-the-Fields, is offering “carols
for shoppers”, while across town the grand organ of the Royal
Albert Hall, a 9,997-pipe monster, will pound through some two
dozen carol concerts in December.  Anglican voices are prominent
in less cosy contexts, too. On December 6th the Archbishop of
Canterbury, Rowan Williams, made front-page news with a
commentary on the riots that gripped English towns last August.
Too many young people feel they