Britain's Church of England priests believe Britain is no longer a Christian nation

author: FutureCar Staff    

Nearly two-thirds of priests in the Church of England have stated that Britain can no longer be considered a Christian country, according to a survey conducted by The Times of London. The survey found that 64.2% of clerics believe that Britain can only be described as a Christian nation historically, not presently, while 24.2% still believe that the Christian adjective applies. These findings align with the 2021 census results, which revealed that less than half the population of England and Wales identifies as Christian, with a significant increase in those identifying as having "no religion."

The survey also revealed that priests have little optimism about the future of the church. Only 43.9% believe it is very likely that they will still be holding a service every Sunday in 10 years, and 66.7% anticipate a continued decline in church attendance over the next decade.

The survey, which drew 1,436 responses from a randomly selected sample of 5,000 priests with British addresses, is the first nationwide survey of clerics since 2014. The Times of London also reported that the majority of priests want the church to stop opposing premarital and gay sex and to start conducting same-sex weddings.

In a significant shift, 80.2% of clerics said they would support appointing a woman as the archbishop of Canterbury, the church's top position. While women have been ordained as priests for decades, they have only been eligible to serve as bishops since 2014.

The survey also highlighted the high stress levels reported by serving priests, with one priest expressing the daunting pressure of justifying church doctrines to a growing number of skeptical and secular listeners. The priests fear that efforts to stop the decline in church attendance will not be successful, with the state-sponsored church facing the possibility of extinction.

The Church of England, which has been the majority religion in Britain for centuries, is facing a significant displacement. However, the church's distinct vocation does not include seeking popularity, according to the Right Rev. Nick Baines, the bishop of Leeds. He emphasized the church's mandate to challenge popular culture while simultaneously being challenged by it.

Issues of sex and sexuality have also caused divisions within the Church of England and the larger Anglican Communion. While many British clerics support same-sex marriage, resistance from Anglican churches in Africa and elsewhere has prevented the Church of England from permitting same-sex weddings. Despite the survey results, Bishop Baines stated that the denomination will persist in its mission and be faithful to God.

The survey results indicate a disconnect between the clergy and those attending church services, according to the advocacy group Christian Concern. They found that many of the largest Church of England congregations that attract young worshippers still support the church's historic view on sex and marriage. The group's chief executive, Andrea Williams, emphasized the importance of advocating for biblical teaching on marriage and sexual ethics to attract youth and remain relevant in society.

FutureCar Staff