Does Christianity have a future?

Dove22 · Apr 17, 2011

Ann Widdercombe examines whether the Christian faith is in terminal decline in the UK, and dicovers three areas of Christian growth which are bucking the downward trend.

Interesting results concerning the growth of religion in some areas and young people like myself are indifferent to Faith. Ann Widdercombe is brilliant she would have made a great PM! For the record I don't belong to any religion, but I do most definitely believe in GOD and I PRAY. :amen:

What do you think?

HantsUK · Apr 18, 2011

Very interesting and well presented programme. According Ann Widdecombe, while the church has seem continuous decline over the past decades, claims that it will die are overstated. There are areas of growth. The church does have a future. God will ensure that. But expect to see change and new forms.

uberd00b · Apr 20, 2011

I don't think it does. In the prosperous and educated first world numbers of believers are shrinking. The things that Christianity has been saying for centuries are being recognised as immoral or just plain incorrect. I'm not even sure it's secularisation will help as if it comes to agree with more humanist values (as it is doing) it will become an irrelevancy.

theFijian · Apr 20, 2011

What program was this? Was it on the BBC?

theFijian · Apr 20, 2011

uberd00b said:
I don't think it does. In the prosperous and educated first world numbers of believers are shrinking. The things that Christianity has been saying for centuries are being recognised as immoral or just plain incorrect. I'm not even sure it's secularisation will help as if it comes to agree with more humanist values (as it is doing) it will become an irrelevancy.

Obviously this is what secularists would like, in another hundred years people will still be asking the same question. Atheists will still be scratching their heads as to how people could hold such 'primitive' views.

xfisherman · Apr 20, 2011

Whatever the general population does,as far as Christianity goes,God will ensure a remnant remain,no matter how bad it gets.Those true believers should always pray to God for revival.

HantsUK · Apr 20, 2011

theFijian said:
What program was this? Was it on the BBC?

BBC1, last Sunday, 17 April, at 22:25

iPlayer link:
BBC - BBC One Programmes - Does Christianity Have a Future?
(4 days left to view)

.Iona. · May 6, 2011

I watched this on iPlayer a week ago, and thought it was a fairly good programme.

When they wer talking about how the church in Liverpool (I think it was) having to close it made me think of the churches I know - and the ones that are most successful aren't necessarily in areas of money, but those that have activites throughout the week, not just open on a sunday for a couple of hours. In that case - no Christianity won't survive.

More needs to be done in the community, to try and bring Christianity back to the heart of places. The villages i know are based about church activities - fetes, quizes, charity work, knit-a-thons, bakery sales etc etc. Only being able to go to church on a sunday morning, and then nothing until next week doesn't do anything in my opinion.

If there was more sense of community, I think it would go a long way to helping young people get in touch with the church.

Shropshire Anglican · May 6, 2011

Yes the church does have a future, but it has to change with society, as it has always done.

There have been reports of the death of the church since the time of Darwin, but it is still here, and is growing in certain denominations, such as the Pentecostals and Baptists. Overseas it is also growing.

theFijian · May 7, 2011

Shropshire Anglican said:
Yes the church does have a future, but it has to change with society, as it has always done.

What specifically needs to change ' with society'?

Hexa · May 7, 2011

Christianty has a future with the upper class, but not the working class.

Shropshire Anglican · May 8, 2011

theFijian said:
What specifically needs to change ' with society'?

It needs to reach out more to society. Sadly, many churches have gone in on themselves and become private members clubs. Those churches which are growing are reaching out, are part of their local communities and are being more open minded about issues like sexuality.

Also, the statement made about it being for the upper classes is wrong. Many working class areas are seeing a growth in the church.

theFijian · May 9, 2011

Shropshire Anglican said:
... and are being more open minded about issues like sexuality.

So basically the church should let society dictate to it as to what it's message should be? What else should change? Why else apart from sexuality?

Shropshire Anglican · May 9, 2011

No, not dictate, but it should move out from its cosy little club and evangelise as it once did before.

theFijian · May 10, 2011

Shropshire Anglican said:
No, not dictate, but it should move out from its cosy little club and evangelise as it once did before.

So how does that constitute 'changing with society'?

non-religious · May 10, 2011

[Shropshire Anglican] and are being more open minded about issues like sexuality.

This line of thinking is exactly what is wrong with Christianity. When believers are comfortable with changing core tenants of their faith in order to appease the masses and make Christianity more palatable. Being open minded to what exactly? Be more specific. Are you suggesting that believers should compromise clear teachings, within scripture?

To answer the original question. Christianity has a future because you will always find those who will not and do not follow every new wind of doctrine or pick and choose which specific verses can be applied to their lives and at the same time reject those that don't.

Varicose Brains · May 12, 2011

theFijian said:
Obviously this is what secularists would like, in another hundred years people will still be asking the same question. Atheists will still be scratching their heads as to how people could hold such 'primitive' views.

Actually it's Evangelical Christianity (i.e, mainstream American Christianity and it's equivalents here in the UK) that is holding primitive views. The morality of Evangelicals can't change, because the Bible isn't going to change, ergo there will always be debates on women as church leaders, homosexuality, stem cell research etc. The rest of secular society has moved on from these issues; it is Christianity (and Islam) that is keeping the world tied to ancient "moralities".

Hexa · May 12, 2011

Everything people have said above about the sexuality thing.

As for churches in working class areas, just because a church is in a working class area, doesnt mean the congrigation consists of the working class

uberd00b · May 13, 2011

theFijian said:
So basically the church should let society dictate to it as to what it's message should be? What else should change? Why else apart from sexuality?

To be honest I think it must adjust or find itself irrelevant. Isn't this what has happened throughout history? Humanity seems to drag the Church (or, all the churches) along kicking and screaming.

theFijian · May 13, 2011

uberd00b said:
To be honest I think it must adjust or find itself irrelevant. Isn't this what has happened throughout history? Humanity seems to drag the Church (or, all the churches) along kicking and screaming.

'Humanity' meaning what exactly? The reformation was a movement from within not outwith the church. The central message of the church has not changed in centuries, what has changed through the years is the church's understanding of what things are not actually part of that central message and the ways in which the church has engaged and communicated with society.

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