Church of England staring at oblivion as just 2% of young Britons say they identify with it

redleghunter

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Church of England staring at oblivion as just 2% of young Britons say they identify with it

The number of people who identify as belonging to the Church of England has dropped to a record low in an “unrelenting decline” that could threaten the denomination’s future, research suggests.

CofE affiliation has fallen to just 2 per cent among adults aged 18 to 24, while the majority of every age group now has no religion, the British Social Attitudes (BSA) survey found.

A992FD2C-CFA5-4937-A801-F8D45F6EEC12.jpeg


The number of Britons who describe themselves as part of the church has more than halved since 2002, from 31 per cent to 14 per cent. The number who actually attend sermons is far lower.

The sharpest drop was among 45- to 54-year-olds, only 11 per cent of whom identify with the CofE compared to 35 per cent in 2002.


The strongest affiliation with the church was among over-60s, but even there a minority of 30 per cent say they belong to the denomination.


More than four times as many 18- to 24-year-olds – 9 per cent – said they belonged to the church 16 years ago.

The drop comes amid a trend towards a secular society. Fifty-two per cent of people now say they belong to no religion, up from 41 per cent in 2002.

In Scotland an even higher proportion – 56 per cent – say they have no religion, and only 18 per cent belong to the Church of Scotland, according to the BSA.

Roger Harding, head of public attitudes at the National Centre for Social Research, which conducts the survey, said: “Our figures show an unrelenting decline in Church of England and Church of Scotland numbers.


“This is especially true for young people where less than one in 20 now belong to their established church.

More at link: Church of England staring at oblivion as just 2% of young Britons say they identify with it
 

Mathetes66

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Revelation 2:1-7 To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of Him who holds the 7 stars in His right hand & walks AMONG the seven golden lampstands.

2I know your deeds, your labor & your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate those who are evil & you have tested & exposed as liars those who falsely claim to be apostles. Without growing weary, you have persevered & endured many things for the sake of My name.

4But I have THIS against you: You have abandoned (left) your FIRST LOVE. Therefore, keep in mind HOW FAR you have fallen. Repent AND perform the deeds you did at first. But if you do not repent, I will come to you & REMOVE YOUR LAMPSTAND from its place.

6But you have this to your credit: You hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will grant the right to eat from the tree of life in the Paradise of God.
 
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redleghunter

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Revelation 2:1-7 To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of Him who holds the 7 stars in His right hand & walks AMONG the seven golden lampstands.

2I know your deeds, your labor & your perseverance. I know that you cannot tolerate those who are evil & you have tested & exposed as liars those who falsely claim to be apostles. Without growing weary, you have persevered & endured many things for the sake of My name.

4But I have THIS against you: You have abandoned (left) your FIRST LOVE. Therefore, keep in mind HOW FAR you have fallen. Repent AND perform the deeds you did at first. But if you do not repent, I will come to you & REMOVE YOUR LAMPSTAND from its place.

6But you have this to your credit: You hate the works of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate.He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who is victorious, I will grant the right to eat from the tree of life in the Paradise of God.
You see the Church of England as the church of Ephesus? Or a sign of the times in general?
 
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chevyontheriver

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Church of England staring at oblivion as just 2% of young Britons say they identify with it

The number of people who identify as belonging to the Church of England has dropped to a record low in an “unrelenting decline” that could threaten the denomination’s future, research suggests.

CofE affiliation has fallen to just 2 per cent among adults aged 18 to 24, while the majority of every age group now has no religion, the British Social Attitudes (BSA) survey found.
There are more active Catholics in England than active CofE members. There are more active Muslims in England than active CofE members. I think it's time to quit the whole church headed by the crown thing, and give back the church buildings built by Catholics but were stolen by Henry VIII.

But the secularization of England, and of Europe, continues on. The CofE, which ancestors of mine belonged to, is taking a huge hit but the Church of Denmark, which other ancestors of mine would have belonged to a few generations ago, is down to about 2.4% who show up any given Sunday. But then the French Catholics aren't doing great either, nor the Irish for that matter.
 
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Aussie Pete

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Church of England staring at oblivion as just 2% of young Britons say they identify with it

The number of people who identify as belonging to the Church of England has dropped to a record low in an “unrelenting decline” that could threaten the denomination’s future, research suggests.

CofE affiliation has fallen to just 2 per cent among adults aged 18 to 24, while the majority of every age group now has no religion, the British Social Attitudes (BSA) survey found.

View attachment 261435

The number of Britons who describe themselves as part of the church has more than halved since 2002, from 31 per cent to 14 per cent. The number who actually attend sermons is far lower.

The sharpest drop was among 45- to 54-year-olds, only 11 per cent of whom identify with the CofE compared to 35 per cent in 2002.


The strongest affiliation with the church was among over-60s, but even there a minority of 30 per cent say they belong to the denomination.


More than four times as many 18- to 24-year-olds – 9 per cent – said they belonged to the church 16 years ago.

The drop comes amid a trend towards a secular society. Fifty-two per cent of people now say they belong to no religion, up from 41 per cent in 2002.

In Scotland an even higher proportion – 56 per cent – say they have no religion, and only 18 per cent belong to the Church of Scotland, according to the BSA.

Roger Harding, head of public attitudes at the National Centre for Social Research, which conducts the survey, said: “Our figures show an unrelenting decline in Church of England and Church of Scotland numbers.


“This is especially true for young people where less than one in 20 now belong to their established church.

More at link: Church of England staring at oblivion as just 2% of young Britons say they identify with it
The Church of England has only itself to blame. It has shut God out for decades and now is reaping what it has sown. England as a nation is suffering for rejecting Christ. There is nothing great about Britain and it is only getting worse. I'm English by birth and nationality (still). My last visit in 2016 was a real eye opener, and not encouraging for the future of the once most powerful nation on earth. Forsake God and that is what you will get. I hope the USA is taking note.
 
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redleghunter

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There are more active Catholics in England than active CofE members. There are more active Muslims in England than active CofE members. I think it's time to quit the whole church headed by the crown thing, and give back the church buildings built by Catholics but were stolen by Henry VIII.

But the secularization of England, and of Europe, continues on. The CofE, which ancestors of mine belonged to, is taking a huge hit but the Church of Denmark, which other ancestors of mine would have belonged to a few generations ago, is down to about 2.4% who show up any given Sunday. But then the French Catholics aren't doing great either, nor the Irish for that matter.
The article (portion not posted) did mention the steady state of Roman Catholics in England. Was the only good news in the piece.

Didn’t know about Irish Catholics in Ireland. Will have to look into that one.
 
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chevyontheriver

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The article (portion not posted) did mention the steady state of Roman Catholics in England. Was the only good news in the piece.

Didn’t know about Irish Catholics in Ireland. Will have to look into that one.
I don't know the percentages in Ireland but the Church there has lost big on abortion legalization and homosexual marriage legalization as many have abandoned the Catholic Church. Ireland was solidly Catholic not that many years ago. Not no more. Probably nowhere near as bad as the CofE in England. But trending fast in a bad direction.
 
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Mathetes66

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You see the Church of England as the church of Ephesus? Or a sign of the times in general?

It appears to be both from my perspective. We can become so religious within, that we are no earthly good. If the motivation, especially for young people, is not focused on a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ & a love for Him, then Christian assemblies will decline as in Ephesus.

Second, it appears that something dramatically has happened in just the years from 2002 to 2017, fifteen years that has led to a very dramatic drop in attendance and/or turning to other Christian assemblies with more relevance to their lives.

What has happened in just 15 years, that had led to such a decline?

Worldwide, there has been a great falling away within Christianity, except in the Asian & Middle East countries, often under persecution, such as China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Kenya, Angola, etc.

There, there is a strong love for the Lord & an appreciation of being saved & the often daily threat of persecution & death. It is similar to the early church under the Roman empire in the first several centuries.

At that time there was a genuine sense of FAMILY, of belonging & loving support. People need community that is strong, supportive & serving others.

There needs to be intensive Bible study where people see the relevance of God's Word in their DAILY lives & learn it & are established in it. The article below shows that many of the younger crowd show a lack of 'confidence' in defending their faith.

I have noticed that on CP there is a shocking amount of ignorance of the Scriptures and more on opinion, speculation & idle talk rather than the issues of discipleship, unity of the faith, evangelism & loving God & our neighbors.

Christianity has pulled within itself rather than being the ones going out & everywhere preaching a relevant gospel, the good news in the midst of a world ready to explode in violence & anarchy.

The church used to be separate FROM the world. Now the world is in the church.

I was encouraged also by the article below that the Anglican church is putting more of an emphasis on the power of prayer, the sword of the Spirit, in believing God for great things beyond what we can ask or imagine. All genuine revival starts, continues & bears much fruit because of the emphasis on believing prayer & establishing that 'communication' with the living God.

Others may weigh in on some of the issues, but those are some I have observed, not only in the Anglican assemblies but elsewhere as well.

No longer the default, Church of England goes to battle in religious marketplace - Religion News Service
 
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redleghunter

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It appears to be both from my perspective. We can become so religious within, that we are no earthly good. If the motivation, especially for young people, is not focused on a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ & a love for Him, then Christian assemblies will decline as in Ephesus.

Second, it appears that something dramatically has happened in just the years from 2002 to 2017, fifteen years that has led to a very dramatic drop in attendance and/or turning to other Christian assemblies with more relevance to their lives.

What has happened in just 15 years, that had led to such a decline?

Worldwide, there has been a great falling away within Christianity, except in the Asian & Middle East countries, often under persecution, such as China, Hong Kong, Vietnam, Nepal, Bangladesh, India, Kenya, Angola, etc.

There, there is a strong love for the Lord & an appreciation of being saved & the often daily threat of persecution & death. It is similar to the early church under the Roman empire in the first several centuries.

At that time there was a genuine sense of FAMILY, of belonging & loving support. People need community that is strong, supportive & serving others.

There needs to be intensive Bible study where people see the relevance of God's Word in their DAILY lives & learn it & are established in it. The article below shows that many of the younger crowd show a lack of 'confidence' in defending their faith.

I have noticed that on CP there is a shocking amount of ignorance of the Scriptures and more on opinion, speculation & idle talk rather than the issues of discipleship, unity of the faith, evangelism & loving God & our neighbors.

Christianity has pulled within itself rather than being the ones going out & everywhere preaching a relevant gospel, the good news in the midst of a world ready to explode in violence & anarchy.

The church used to be separate FROM the world. Now the world is in the church.

I was encouraged also by the article below that the Anglican church is putting more of an emphasis on the power of prayer, the sword of the Spirit, in believing God for great things beyond what we can ask or imagine. All genuine revival starts, continues & bears much fruit because of the emphasis on believing prayer & establishing that 'communication' with the living God.

Others may weigh in on some of the issues, but those are some I have observed, not only in the Anglican assemblies but elsewhere as well.

No longer the default, Church of England goes to battle in religious marketplace - Religion News Service
Thank you for adding your personal experiences and insight. God Bless!
 
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Mathetes66

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You are very welcome my brother in Christ! I have been praying each week in the assembly I meet with & minister--for the Lord to awaken people & to bring people in from the community. We have had a dramatic increase in people coming in the past 3 months & being able to minister to various people's needs.

There is more of an emphasis on serving & giving & being a witness for Christ. We are seeing some dramatic healings in the past few weeks as well, one relative of a member who everyone, including the doctors waiting for him to die any day. Suddenly, through prayer, he dramatically changed in his health & is now alert, feeling better & his health has dramatically improved.

James 4:1-12 What causes conflicts & quarrels among you? Don’t they come from the passions at war within you? You crave what you do not have; you kill & covet, but are unable to obtain it. You quarrel & fight.

You do not have, because you do not ask. 3And when you do ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may squander it on your pleasures.

4You adulteresses! Do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore, whoever chooses to be a friend of the world renders himself an enemy of God. Or do you think the Scripture says without reason that the Spirit He caused to dwell in us yearns with envy?

6But He gives us more grace. This is why it says: “God opposes the proud,
but gives grace to the humble.” Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil & he will flee from you.

8Draw near to God & He will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners & purify your hearts, you double-minded. 9Grieve, mourn & weep. Turn your laughter to mourning & your joy to gloom. Humble yourselves before the Lord & He will exalt you.

11Brothers, do not slander one another. Anyone who speaks against his brother or judges him speaks against the law & judges it. And if you judge the law, you are not a practitioner of the law, but a judge of it. There is only one Lawgiver & Judge, the One who is able to save & destroy.
 
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Albion

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There are more active Catholics in England than active CofE members. There are more active Muslims in England than active CofE members.
It is also estimated that only 1 in 50 Italians attend church these days...and that is, uh, well, you know, an overwhelmingly CATHOLIC nation. But only on paper, it appears.

In the USA, Catholic membership is only slowing slipping, but that is because of the massive in-migration of millions of Latin Americans. If it were not for that, the membership decline in the American Catholic Church would be as startling as it is for some of the mainstream Protestant denominations.
 
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chevyontheriver

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Second, it appears that something dramatically has happened in just the years from 2002 to 2017, fifteen years that has led to a very dramatic drop in attendance and/or turning to other Christian assemblies with more relevance to their lives.

What has happened in just 15 years, that had led to such a decline?
This has been going on for WAY more than 15 years. It had it's roots at least back at the 1930 Lambeth Conference, with a small change that opened Christianity to the full brunt of the sexual revolution. The 'Roaring 20's' made it inside the CofE when they decided contraception was AOK in special very rare circumstances. Of course this wasn't a done deal right away, but it did open the door. Continued liberalizations made the CofE less relevant to ordinary people. The evangelical wing and the Catholic wing did what they could but became smaller and smaller minorities within the CofE as the liberals gained control.
 
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chevyontheriver

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It is also estimated that only 1 in 50 Italians attend church these days...and that is, uh, well, you know, an overwhelmingly CATHOLIC nation. But only on paper, it appears.
So? I mentioned the French situation and the Irish situation but didn't mention the Italian situation or the situation in the USA or other countries. Thank you SO MUCH for correcting me.
 
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redleghunter

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The Church of England has only itself to blame. It has shut God out for decades and now is reaping what it has sown. England as a nation is suffering for rejecting Christ. There is nothing great about Britain and it is only getting worse. I'm English by birth and nationality (still). My last visit in 2016 was a real eye opener, and not encouraging for the future of the once most powerful nation on earth. Forsake God and that is what you will get. I hope the USA is taking note.
What were the major departures which led to this?
 
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redleghunter

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People have made government their god.
Even a far cry from Roundheads and Cavaliers off with their heads!

Back when the English fought for their religious freedom instead of surrendering to secularism.
 
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redleghunter

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It is also estimated that only 1 in 50 Italians attend church these days...and that is, uh, well, you know, an overwhelmingly CATHOLIC nation. But only on paper, it appears.

In the USA, Catholic membership is only slowing slipping, but that is because of the massive in-migration of millions of Latin Americans. If it were not for that, the membership decline in the American Catholic Church would be as startling as it is for some of the mainstream Protestant denominations.
Not just Latin America. A strong surge in Asian immigrants. The local Catholic Church has Mass in Korean.
 
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redleghunter

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It is also estimated that only 1 in 50 Italians attend church these days...and that is, uh, well, you know, an overwhelmingly CATHOLIC nation. But only on paper, it appears.

In the USA, Catholic membership is only slowing slipping, but that is because of the massive in-migration of millions of Latin Americans. If it were not for that, the membership decline in the American Catholic Church would be as startling as it is for some of the mainstream Protestant denominations.
Please tell me this is satire news:

Church of England to accept gay marriage if one changes gender after wedding | Metro News
 
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anna ~ grace

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Not just Latin America. A strong surge in Asian immigrants. The local Catholic Church has Mass in Korean.

Yes. Many, many Catholics from Latin America, South East Asia, and Africa near us. They are really strong. The Sudanese priest near us is awesome.

Lots of young families at the TLM, too. There are literally so many toddlers running around, you can barely hear.
 
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redleghunter

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Yes. Many, many Catholics from Latin America, South East Asia, and Africa near us. They are really strong. The Sudanese priest near us is awesome.

Lots of young families at the TLM, too. There are literally so many toddlers running around, you can barely hear.
TLM?
 
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