Church of England his milestone in low attendance.

[Valigarmander]

Some good news to brighten your day.

The number of people attending Church of England services each week has for the first time dropped below 1 million â€" accounting for less than 2% of the population â€" with Sunday attendances falling to 760,000.

The statistics, published on Tuesday, reflect the C of E’s steady decline over recent decades in the face of growing secularism and religious diversity, and the ageing profile of its worshippers. Numbers attending church services have fallen by 12% in the past decade, to less than half the levels of the 1960s.

The figures from the church’s latest annual survey of attendance show that a weekly average of 980,000 people attended its 16,000 churches during October 2014, comprising 830,000 adults and 150,000 children. The vast majority attended on a Sunday, and there is likely to be some double-counting in the weekly figure.

Numbers shot up at Christmas, with 2.4 million attending a festive service in 2014. The church conducted 130,000 baptisms in the year, down 12% since 2004; 50,000 marriages, down 19%; and 146,000 funerals, down 29%.

The church said it was not surprised by the latest figures. “While the recent trend of the past decade continues, it has been anticipated and is being acted on radically,” said Graham James, bishop of Norwich.

“We do not expect that trend to change imminently or immediately over the next few years due to demographics. We lose approximately 1% of our churchgoers to death each year. Given the age profile of the C of E, the next few years will continue to have downward pressure as people die or become housebound and unable to attend church.”

Speaking at the opening of the Anglican primates’ meeting in Canterbury, the archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, said: “In some parts of the Communion decline in numbers has been a pattern for many years. In England our numbers have been falling at about 1% every year since world war two ... The culture [is] becoming anti-Christian, whether it is on matters of sexual morality, or the care for people at the beginning or the end of life. It is easy to paint a very gloomy picture.”

The church has embarked on a radical “reform and renewal” programme intended to reverse declining numbers, partly by diverting funds away from small, struggling rural parishes to urban churches where the potential for growth is greatest.

Several urban churches have shown remarkable growth in the past year, according to the C of E. St Swithun’s in Bournemouth, a church established in 2014, now has weekly attendances of 500, and King’s Cross church in central London has grown from single figures to 500 in the past five years.

The C of E is also developing “network churches” that meet in cafes, pubs and other places outside of consecrated buildings.

The church, whose current leadership is dominated by evangelicals, recently created a new bishop, based in Islington, to focus on “church planting” â€" the establishment of new churches in areas of potential growth.

The church also says that attendance statistics do not take into account activities such as running food banks and C of E schools.

In the 2011 census, 59% of the population defined themselves as Christian, down from 72% in 2001. One in four people said they had no religion, up from 15% in 2001.

Keith Porteous Wood, of the National Secular Society, said: “Church of England attendance now appears to have fallen below 2% of the population, and looks set to fall further given the preponderance of older churchgoers. This seriously calls into question its right to remain the established church. Indeed, it is inappropriate for there to be any established religion in a modern pluralistic society, far less one where the majority do not consider themselves to be religious.”

[Atheon]

Bye bye religion!

[Baruch]

The Queen is the head of the CoE.  Lack of leadership?

[Munch]

Years ago, my mum and dad were told they had to take up a religion on all legal papers. Mum didn't consider herself religious, but decided just to keep the peace, she choose church of england for both her and dad, but of course it was false and she didn't follow anything of it. Nowadays that religious belief doesn't come on any legal documents she ignores anything to do with it.

[Unbeliever]

I hope this and all other churches (except maybe Unitarian Universalists) lose all their congregants.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/14/anglican-church-sanctions-against-liberal-us-church-same-sex-marriage

Under the agreement, the US Episcopal church has been banned from representation on key bodies and barred from voting on issues relating to doctrine or strategy for three years. However, it will remain a member of the Anglican communion.

[Baruch]

I hope this and all other churches (except maybe Unitarian Universalists) lose all their congregants.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/14/anglican-church-sanctions-against-liberal-us-church-same-sex-marriage

This is because the Third World Anglicans are more conservative than the Five Eyes Anglicans ... and are the only growing Anglican demographic.  So the Anglican Communion is getting more conservative, not less.

[Unbeliever]

Some Anglicans have five eyes? Maybe they can see a way out of this defile.

[Randy Carson]

This might not be the good news you think it is.

As Church attendance in England (and the rest of Europe declines), the Muslim population is exploding.

Once Islam takes over, you will find them to be far less reliable allies to the United States and democracy.

And far less tolerant of atheism than Christians have been.

Good luck.

[Baruch]

This might not be the good news you think it is.

As Church attendance in England (and the rest of Europe declines), the Muslim population is exploding.

Once Islam takes over, you will find them to be far less reliable allies to the United States and democracy.

And far less tolerant of atheism than Christians have been.

Good luck.

Americans never liked Europeans anyway ... and we love bloodthirsty Saudis ;-(

[Gawdzilla Sama]

Americans never liked Europeans anyway ... and we love bloodthirsty Saudis ;-(

Two sweeping generalizations in one post.

[Baruch]

Two sweeping generalizations in one post.

Just sweeping out the mental detritus ... gotta use more Head & Shoulders!

Are you an American?  Do you pay taxes?  If yes to both, you are a bloodthirsty perpetual warrior or fellow traveler.  The US was founded by warfare, not at a 4pm English tea ;-)

[pr126]

This might not be the good news you think it is.

As Church attendance in England (and the rest of Europe declines), the Muslim population is exploding.

Once Islam takes over, you will find them to be far less reliable allies to the United States and democracy.

And far less tolerant of atheism than Christians have been.

Good luck.

Islam is the religion of peace. Nothing to worry about.

We welcome our Muslim overlords. 

[Baruch]

Islam is the religion of peace. Nothing to worry about.

We welcome our Muslim overlords.

You already love your German overlords (House of Windsor).

[widdershins]

This might not be the good news you think it is.

As Church attendance in England (and the rest of Europe declines), the Muslim population is exploding.

Once Islam takes over, you will find them to be far less reliable allies to the United States and democracy.

And far less tolerant of atheism than Christians have been.

Good luck.

One down, one to go.  What's the problem?

[leo]

One down, one to go.  What's the problem?

.                                                                                                                                                  What the hell you are smoking?  There is a huge problem in Europe. Christianity dying in Europe is great news. But Islam taking over Europe is  a very very horrible news.  This means the return of dark ages in Europe. And Islam wouldn't gone in Europe for a several centuries atleast. It's a very shitty scenario in Europe. The Europe future is very dark.