Shame about English godliness (5)
I believe the answer is:
piety
'godliness' is the definition.
(I've seen this in another clue)
'shame about english' is the wordplay.
'shame' becomes 'pity' (synonyms).
'about' indicates putting letters inside.
'english' becomes 'E' (abbreviation as in OED).
'pity' enclosing 'e' is 'PIETY'.
(Other definitions for piety that I've seen before include "Attentive religious practice" , "Devotion to religious principles" , "An unthinkingly accepted belief" , "Spirituality" , "Reverence for a god" .)