LONDON -- The world I grew up in was dominated by the Tory Party, which had governed for as long as any child could remember, by its icon the royal family, which smiled serenely from every magazine, and by the Church of England, which hosted every major national occasion and ritually adjured us to respect and honor both government and monarchy all the days of our life.
Now I am middle-aged and all these are in shambles. Immured in ancient palaces and mansions, their leaders send out minions to issue statements deploring disloyalty, betrayal and malice, while their masters stay closeted wringing their hands about the cruel world. I am not a member or supporter of any of these bodies and so have little insight into how this has all come about. Nor does it give me pleasure, so pitiable is the state they are in.
The Church of England has the longest uninterrupted tradition of any of these institutions. Founded by King Henry VIII in the 16th century, it was unique among Christian churches in being the "established" national religion, authorized by and organically connected to the state.