The Church of England is closing many churches.

[oldbadger]

Extract from a Daily Mail (UK) article:-
More than 400 churches have closed in a decade, posing what a senior clergyman warned was a 'shocking' threat to parishes.
Analysis of Church of England data found that 940 of its churches were shut between 1987 and 2019. And the figures show that 423 were closed from 2010 to 2019.
The dioceses of Durham and Manchester had the greatest number of closures – with 15 per cent fewer churches than in 1987.
The CofE defines a church as a building which is 'licensed as a place of worship' and can include former mission halls.
Canterbury is one of only three dioceses to buck the trend, with a 10.8 per cent increase in church numbers.
----------------------------

Are Christians leaving the CofE, leaving Church attendance, leaving Christianity or ...what?

I live in the Canterbury City Council area, and I know that a new church called 'Riverside' is building a whole new congregation, gaining funding from being able to lease out large halls for business conferences, running child-care facilities and running a brilliant cafeteria where anybody can buy a coffee, have a meal or just go to sit down. The couple who run this place, both ordained, have so many ideas that many local Christians are migrating to Riverside from other churches.

So...... is the reduction in CofE church goers about dying Christianity, or is it because of bright new initiates such as Riverside?

 

[Altfish]

Extract from a Daily Mail (UK) article:-
More than 400 churches have closed in a decade, posing what a senior clergyman warned was a 'shocking' threat to parishes.
Analysis of Church of England data found that 940 of its churches were shut between 1987 and 2019. And the figures show that 423 were closed from 2010 to 2019.
The dioceses of Durham and Manchester had the greatest number of closures – with 15 per cent fewer churches than in 1987.
The CofE defines a church as a building which is 'licensed as a place of worship' and can include former mission halls.
Canterbury is one of only three dioceses to buck the trend, with a 10.8 per cent increase in church numbers.
----------------------------

Are Christians leaving the CofE, leaving Church attendance, leaving Christianity or ...what?

I live in the Canterbury City Council area, and I know that a new church called 'Riverside' is building a whole new congregation, gaining funding from being able to lease out large halls for business conferences, running child-care facilities and running a brilliant cafeteria where anybody can buy a coffee, have a meal or just go to sit down. The couple who run this place, both ordained, have so many ideas that many local Christians are migrating to Riverside from other churches.

So...... is the reduction in CofE church goers about dying Christianity, or is it because of bright new initiates such as Riverside?

It has been happening for a while now, the church I used to attend is now houses.
It is not just CofE, within a mile of me a large Catholic Church has closed, that is now flats.

I live near Manchester and I see this decline in many ways, the last 4 funerals I attended were Humanist; I can't remember when I last attended a Christian wedding or baptism.
Church is seen mainly for the over 60s; even the few Jews I know rarely attend the synagogue, they abide by the Jewish culture but not the beliefs.

 

[Rival]

Sad.

 

[Estro Felino]

It is heartbreaking.
I am really worried about the future of Europe.

 

[Altfish]

It is heartbreaking.
I am really worried about the future of Europe.

Why?

Do you think the non-religious can do any worse than the religious.
One of UK's most odious politicians is Jason Rees-Mogg, a devout Christian. He regularly has voted to starve children and reduce funding to the poor..

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Are Christians leaving the CofE, leaving Church attendance, leaving Christianity or ...what?

I live in the Canterbury City Council area, and I know that a new church called 'Riverside' is building a whole new congregation, gaining funding from being able to lease out large halls for business conferences, running child-care facilities and running a brilliant cafeteria where anybody can buy a coffee, have a meal or just go to sit down. The couple who run this place, both ordained, have so many ideas that many local Christians are migrating to Riverside from other churches.

So...... is the reduction in CofE church goers about dying Christianity, or is it because of bright new initiates such as Riverside?

Traditionally, the C of E took a different approach for side ventures to raise money. For instance, at one point, the C of E was one of the biggest slave owners in the Caribbean.

 

[Kenny]

Extract from a Daily Mail (UK) article:-
More than 400 churches have closed in a decade, posing what a senior clergyman warned was a 'shocking' threat to parishes.
Analysis of Church of England data found that 940 of its churches were shut between 1987 and 2019. And the figures show that 423 were closed from 2010 to 2019.
The dioceses of Durham and Manchester had the greatest number of closures – with 15 per cent fewer churches than in 1987.
The CofE defines a church as a building which is 'licensed as a place of worship' and can include former mission halls.
Canterbury is one of only three dioceses to buck the trend, with a 10.8 per cent increase in church numbers.
----------------------------

Are Christians leaving the CofE, leaving Church attendance, leaving Christianity or ...what?

I live in the Canterbury City Council area, and I know that a new church called 'Riverside' is building a whole new congregation, gaining funding from being able to lease out large halls for business conferences, running child-care facilities and running a brilliant cafeteria where anybody can buy a coffee, have a meal or just go to sit down. The couple who run this place, both ordained, have so many ideas that many local Christians are migrating to Riverside from other churches.

So...... is the reduction in CofE church goers about dying Christianity, or is it because of bright new initiates such as Riverside?

I think there are always migratory attendance:
new-shocking-report-about-churches-and-pubs-in-the-uk

Hillsong Church In The UK
Founded by Brian and Bobbie Houston in 1983, the Hillsong church has spread across the length and breadth of the world today. It’s London church now gathers over 5000 worshippers per week in the Dominion Theater.

Noteworthy is the fact that the majority of its members are under 25 years of age!

and they are spreading along with other non-denominational churches.


Oxford
Magdalen Street, Oxford, OX1 3AE

Birmingham
Curzon St, Birmingham B4 7XG, UK

North London
Town Hall Approach Rd, London N15, UK

 

[RestlessSoul]

I’m more worried about the buildings than the congregations really. Those who seek Him will always find a way to God, and you don’t need a churches or priests to do that. But when the buildings are gone, or put to other uses, they are gone for good.

 

[RestlessSoul]

Why?

Do you think the non-religious can do any worse than the religious.
One of UK's most odious politicians is Jason Rees-Mogg, a devout Christian. He regularly has voted to starve children and reduce funding to the poor..

When atheism produces anything at all to rival the Sistine Chapel, the dome of Saint Paul’s, St Vasily’s in Moscow, or La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, I’ll begin to believe it can become the cornerstone of a civilisation. Until then…

 

[Altfish]

When atheism produces anything at all to rival the Sistine Chapel, the dome of Saint Paul’s, St Vasily’s in Moscow, or La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, I’ll begin to believe it can become the cornerstone of a civilisation. Until then…

Are you serious?
Those are beautiful buildings, I agree. But things would have been much better if they had built hospitals and schools instead of those places of worship, even roads and factories would have been better
btw Have they finished that place in Barcelona yet, when I was there 15 years ago, it was still being worked on!

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

When atheism produces anything at all to rival the Sistine Chapel, the dome of Saint Paul’s, St Vasily’s in Moscow, or La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, I’ll begin to believe it can become the cornerstone of a civilisation. Until then…

The national gallery. The British museum, the Royal Albert hall, the natural history museum, the Science museum, the houses of parliament, the Guild hall and the Royal society, and numerous City Halls all match in importance any church in the UK, With similar meeting places in all other countries which are on a par with Religious buildings.

 

[Rival]

I’m more worried about the buildings than the congregations really. Those who seek Him will always find a way to God, and you don’t need a churches or priests to do that. But when the buildings are gone, or put to other uses, they are gone for good.

Community is a #1 though, especially in religion - and where will they have Communion given by Priests, etc? The church needs a structure.

 

[RestlessSoul]

The national gallery. The British museum, the Royal Albert hall, the natural history museum, the Science museum, the houses of parliament, the Guild hall and the Royal society, and numerous City Halls all match in importance any church in the UK, With similar meeting places in all other countries which are on a par with Religious buildings.

Some great buildings there tbf, but no, not on a par with the Cathedrals of Durham, York or Canterbury. And architecturally, most of the ones you listed owe their principle aesthetic to The Parthenon, which was the centre of religious life in classical Athens, and dedicated to the Goddess Athena.

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Community is a #1 though, especially in religion - and where will they have Communion given by Priests, etc? The church needs a structure.

Communion can be taken anywhere, including private homes, and even pubs.
I have take communion a number of times at home, when not able to go to church.

The Church structure is built on individuals and congregations not buildings.

 

[RestlessSoul]

Community is a #1 though, especially in religion - and where will they have Communion given by Priests, etc? The church needs a structure.

Yes, I suppose so, but it seems the Church needs a lot less structures than it did even 100 years ago. I can count 6 churches, a Quaker meeting house, and a synagogue all within easy walking distance of my house, plus one which is now a pub. I do wonder how they will all survive. Not the pub, it's a Wetherspoons, it'll survive by undercutting all the other pubs.

 

[Rival]

Communion can be taken anywhere, including private homes, and even pubs.
I have take communion a number of times at home, when not able to go to church.

The Church structure is built on individuals and congregations not buildings.

I believe it needs hierarchy and is not just based on anyone doing anything; hence no women priests in the RCC, for example.

 

[9-10ths_Penguin]

Community is a #1 though, especially in religion - and where will they have Communion given by Priests, etc? The church needs a structure.

This is the Church's problem to sort out, IMO.

They're the ones who fostered this psychological dependance among their parishoners. It's their responsibility - ethically, at least - to deal with the consequences.

It's no different from setting up a birdfeeder: if migratory birds decide not to go south because you gave them food in autumn, you're now obligated to feed them through the winter... even when it's bitterly cold outside and you don't feel like doing it.

By the same token, I think the C of E is obligated to provide for the people it got to be psychologically dependent on it... even if it's awkward or not cost-effective to do it.

 

[oldbadger]

Traditionally, the C of E took a different approach for side ventures to raise money. For instance, at one point, the C of E was one of the biggest slave owners in the Caribbean.

Yes..... Well I don't expect that the Diocesan Board can fund such ventures now.
We're talking about 'now'..... can you see that?

 

[RestlessSoul]

Are you serious?
Those are beautiful buildings, I agree. But things would have been much better if they had built hospitals and schools instead of those places of worship, even roads and factories would have been better
btw Have they finished that place in Barcelona yet, when I was there 15 years ago, it was still being worked on!

Most hospitals and schools before the industrial revolution were built by the church, where they not? Or certainly had very close ties.

 

[Rival]

This is the Church's problem to sort out, IMO.

They're the ones who fostered this psychological dependance among their parishoners. It's their responsibility - ethically, at least - to deal with the consequences.

It's no different from setting up a birdfeeder: if migratory birds decide not to go south because you gave them food in autumn, you're now obligated to feed them through the winter... even when it's bitterly cold outside and you don't feel like doing it.

By the same token, I think the C of E is obligated to provide for the people it got to be psychologically dependent on it... even if it's awkward or not cost-effective to do it.

It's not that they don't feel like it, it's that there are no parishioners to serve in many areas (my local village church is defunct) and no-one wanting to become clergy because there are so few religious people in the right age brackets. Folks need to become religious again, that's all this is.