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A Telegraph Book of the Year 2025

‘Allows us to understand the profound, and often profoundly beneficial, impact of Christianity’ Anthony Seldon

‘Superb … Lively and erudite’ The Telegraph

‘Tremendous … The arguments are truly profound’ The Spectator

‘A finely judged and beautifully written account’ Peter Frankopan

Christianity in England is in decline. Congregations are dwindling and ever fewer young people believe. Should we merely shrug our shoulders and accept this as inevitable and even healthy, or is something important being lost?

Bijan Omrani argues that this decline is the most momentous change to occur in English history. He shows how a religion that has been part of our national story for over 1700 years was instrumental in the creation and development of the English nation, its codes of law and morality, and its structures of government and kingship. He demonstrates its profound cultural impact, in areas ranging from architecture and literature to our very landscape and the structure of our everyday life and language. Its influence, he contends, has been enormous, largely benign, and shouldn’t be lightly abandoned.

Ending with a rousing call to retain Christianity, rightly understood, as a way of dealing with both the eternal questions of the human condition, as well as the malaises of modernity, this is an erudite and tender tribute to our Christian history and heritage.

Publisher Review

‘This book will help readers understand English history in a much more rounded way. The author’s fiercely objective approach allows us to understand the profound, and often profoundly beneficial, impact of Christianity on the country for nearly two millennia’ – Anthony Seldon ‘Are we prepared for a post-Christian Britain? The enormous questions this raises about national identity are hardly being discussed, but fortunately Bijan Omrani has made an invaluable contribution to this coming debate, which will be upon us surprisingly soon. As we try to lead good lives according to what Omrani proves are often ultimately Christian creeds and assumptions, this scholarly and engagingly written book asks whether we can achieve that without Christianity itself’ – Lord Andrew Roberts ‘At last someone is standing up for our Church and its amazing contribution, over centuries, to English life’ – Quentin Letts ‘Christianity is the golden thread that stitches together England’s history. Yes, it may be fraying now but, as Bijan Omrani brilliantly explains, it is not yet quite broken – and must be repaired’ – Harry Mount, author and journalist ‘A superb book … Lively and erudite’ – The Telegraph ‘A tremendous book, whatever you happen to believe. The storytelling and characterisation are gripping in themselves and the arguments are truly profound. They undermine the glib scorn that has emptied our churches and depleted our souls. Read it and weep or, perhaps better, think’ – The Spectator ‘He writes with colour and clarity, covering a huge canvas to illustrate how profoundly English culture is saturated in Christian teaching and practice … An affectionate but deeply realistic book, and deserves a wide circulation among those concerned by the deeper reasons for our current malaise’ – Church Times ‘A detailed, evocative picture of a nation defined by faith … an edifying account of how every single aspect of English national life owed itself in full or in part, to Christianity’ – The Critic ‘A finely judged and beautifully written account’ – Peter Frankopan, Guardian Books of the Summer ‘England was forged by Christianity – and yet, for no intelligent reason, we’re giving it up. This superb history-cum-polemic argues convincingly that we take our national faith for granted, and that no one is suffering more as a result of its decline than the dazed, confused young’ – Telegraph Books of the Year ‘At a time when more and more English people are casually abandoning Christian faith, because they no longer see its point, Bijan Omrani reminds us how much of what we are pleased to take for granted depends on it. Belief in God always requires faith, but awareness of the good things kept alive by it gives us reasons for venturing the leap. This is a beautifully composed book, and an important one’ – Rev’d Professor Lord Nigel Biggar ‘Superb’ – Mary Kenny, The Oldie ‘Excellent’ – Rhys Laverty, First Things ‘Valuable above all as a perceptive introduction to traditional English culture. It deserves a wide readership among Christians and sceptics alike’ – Peter Day-Milne, Catholic Herald ‘Perhaps the Christian roots of England might seem obvious to some, except that the historical amnesia is so extensive that it needs to be written, and Omrani does a splendid job’ – Ed West ‘Omrani’s book should be read by every Christian in England – and across the pond in the former colonies, as well, where similar arguments might well be made about the role of Christianity in the New World’ – Catholic World Report, Best Books of 2025 ‘With a political class increasingly unsure how to speak about values and an institutional crisis not far from view, Omrani reminds us that the best parts of our national inheritance were shaped by faith long before they were defended by think-tank reports. The book challenges the idea that modern Britain can understand itself while amputating its own religious imagination’ – Lola Salem, CapX Books of 2025 ‘Omrani’s book is not merely a defense of the church, or an elegy for what has been lost: It is an attempt to embody all that is finest, wisest, and most virtuous in English culture in a society where the very notion of national pride or love of one’s own heritage is seen as suspicious, declasse, and/or somehow to be associated with Adolf Hitler. God Is An Englishman demonstrates how Christianity is at the very heart of what it means to be English’ – Jaspreet Singh Boparai, The American Conservative ‘Outstanding’ – James Bradshaw, Position Papers, Ireland ‘Bijan Omrani’s God is an Englishman: Christianity and the Creation of England brought out the myriad ways in which England’s culture, politics, literature and very identity are intimately bound up with our Christian past with style and erudition: I greatly enjoyed it’ – George Owers, Engelsberg Ideas Books of the Year