British church attendance stabilizes after years of decline

CANTERBURY, England (RNS) The number of people attending Sunday services at Britain’s Anglican churches is continuing to drop, but church officials say there are signs that the decline is starting to stabilize.

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All Saints Church (Church of England), Bakewell, Derbyshire photo courtesy Eamon Curry via Flickr (http://flic.kr/p/ayF2Uj)

A spokesperson for the Church of England said Tuesday (May 7) that average weekly attendance at the nation’s 16,247 Anglican parishes was 1.1 million in 2011, representing a drop of just 0.3 percent from the previous year’s figures.

The annual statistics reveal a substantial increase in attendance at the country’s storied cathedrals: Christmas churchgoing rose by 14 percent, christenings were up 4.3 percent and adult baptisms were up 5 percent. The number of weddings was down 3.6 percent, to 51,880.

The 1.1 million Britons in church pales in comparison to the estimated 22 million — about four in 10 Britons — who are considered official members of the Church of England.

Overall Sunday attendance is down from 1.14 million in 2000, falling about 1 percent a year until 2011.

“The attendance figures are heartening,” said Bishop of Norwich Graham James. “The encouraging news of further growth to come even on these high figures is very welcome and points to a growing trend.”

Justin Welby (center), the 57-year old former oil executive who quit the world of high finance in 1992 to become a priest, was enthroned Thursday (March 21) as the 105th archbishop of Canterbury and spiritual leader of the world's 77 million Anglicans. Photo courtesy Anglican Communion News Service/The Press Association

Justin Welby (center), the 57-year old former oil executive who quit the world of high finance in 1992 to become a priest, was enthroned Thursday (March 21) as the 105th archbishop of Canterbury and spiritual leader of the world’s 77 million Anglicans. Photo courtesy Anglican Communion News Service/The Press Association

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One worrying statistic: attendance in the Diocese of Canterbury — home to the spiritual leader of the world’s 77 million Anglicans, Archbishop Justin Welby — saw the biggest drop in average weekly figures. The diocese had a 9.5 percent drop in weekly church service attendance between 2010 and 2011.

 

11 Comments

  1. H. E. Baber

    Makes sense. But the explanation is one many will find uncomfortable. Religion is a special taste. In some times and places religion is pervasive, and religious practice is the norm, so lots of people acquire the taste. In secular societies religion is less popular, but there will still be a core of people who have the taste for religion. And when you get down to that core, decline will stop.

    It’s uncomfortable because the standard view amongst religious people seems to be that religion, or at least “spirituality,” is a universal human impulse or need. Arguably, churches would do better to recognize that it isn’t universal, or even widespread interest: it’s just a minority taste. So instead of trying to reach out to the majority who aren’t religious, churches should work to provide the religious goods and services that the religious minority enjoy. Of course it goes without saying that there’s nothing particularly good about being religious–it’s just a taste.

    Religion for the religious!

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    • Gerry Ostroot

      I’ll bet you don’t like spinach either, even though its good for you. Are you speaking from experience or merely fantasizing to prtotect yourself from getting anything that’s good for you? Try it1 You just may like it. Religion comes in many flavors, one of them may appeal to even you.

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      • H. E. Baber

        Huh??? I’m speaking as someone who enjoys religion. I’m suggesting that churches stop trying to appeal to the non-religious, in particular, to the cultured despisers and provide what we, the minority who enjoy religion like. I couldn’t care in the least what’s good for me–I’m just interested in what’s yummy and fun. I just happen to think that religiousity is yummy and fun–as long is it’s fancy, fantastical and high church, escapist, mystical, aesthetic and sensual.

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  6. Dave the raver

    When you are up a against treason, mass fraud,unemployment , evil on a global scale….
    corrupt politicians personal life in shambles where else do you go?

    I speak as a
    SINNER!!!!!!

    Reply Report abuse

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