Is the Church of England Dying… or Being Pruned?
What do the Church of England’s 2024 Statistics for Mission really show? Are we witnessing decline, delusion, or the first signs of genuine renewal? In this deep dive, Rev Dan walks through the latest numbers and the headlines they’ve generated, including the claims of a “quiet revival”, and what the Church Times, The Telegraph, and Psephizo’s Ian Paul have revealed about the real picture.Drawing on Table 1, Table 8 and Table 10 from the 2024 report, this video explores attendance, baptisms, marriages, funerals, confirmations, and the demographic time-bomb facing the C of E. We look honestly at the long-term decline, the impact of the pandemic, the collapse of the bridges between church and society, and the sharp rise in churches with no children.But we also highlight the green shoots many are missing. New worshipping communities. Rising adult baptisms. Stabilising attendance. Confirmation numbers beginning to climb again. The faithful remnant holding the line and planting hope in unexpected places.If you’re trying to understand the future of the Church of England, the faithful minority, and what renewal might look like in our generation, this is your roadmap. This is a public episode. If you'd like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit monoingles.substack.com/subscribe
UK