Dr Rowan Williams latest bumble

The Archbishop of Canterbury has wandered into controversy - again - with ‘wide-ranging criticism’ of the government’s policies.  He says no one voted for the policies which he finds ‘baffling’.

Isn’t it marvelous that he speaks his mind so often?  But what about his ‘day job’ as head of the dwindling Church of England?

Why doesn’t he start looking closer to home – the decline of the Church of England and church-going in the UK?  What is he doing about that?  How has he got any time for this challenging mission while guest editing, making speeches, apologising all over the place (see earlier blog http://chrisjmyers.blogspot.com/2011/05/rowan-williams-right-man-for-job-royal.html) and – what seems to be his principal objective – ‘speaking out’.

What is he doing to promote women priests?  What about the ‘homosexual vicars’ crisis gripping the church and threatening its break-up?  What about the, perceived, irrelevance of Christianity in the UK?

What I want to know is, what is he doing about the issues, the really big issues, that are on his own doorstep?  Does he think ‘speaking his mind’ on matters that do not concern him will divert attention from the matters that he is responsible for??

Attendance at C of E services have been falling for the last five years.
The average weekly attendance in 2008 fell to 1.145 million from 1.16 million in 2007, while the average Sunday attendance fell from 978,000 in 2007 to 960,000 in 2008.
Fewer people went to church during religious festivals, notably Christmas and Easter, and that there were fewer weddings and blessings. But the average number of children and young people at services each week rose to 225,000, from 219,000 in 2007.

The total number attending local churches has dropped two per cent in the seven years since 2002, with the 2009 figures showing a drop of one per cent against the number attending on an average week in 2008. The total number of under 16s was virtually unchanged compared to 2008 and remained more than two percent higher than 2002.  

C of E web extract - summary: Average weekly attendance down slightly at 1,131,000 (2008: 1,145,000; 2007: 1,160,000), as was average monthly attendance at 1,651,000 (2008: 1,667,000; 2007: 1,690,000). while average Sunday attendance dropped two per cent to 944,000 (2008: 960,000; 2007: 978,000) The average number of children and young people at services each week was slightly down at 223,000 (2008: 225,000; 2007: 219,000). The number of children and young people attending monthly was virtually unchanged at 436,000 (2008: 438,000; 2007: 424,000), while other research reveals that a further 375,000 attend other church based activities.

Marking life events

The total number of baptisms dropped one per cent, with increases in 'child' and 'adult' baptisms (those aged one year and older) of three per cent and six per cent, respectively. The number of 'infant' baptisms (under one year old) fell by three per cent. The number of Thanksgivings for the birth of a child fell by two per cent.

The number of marriages in parish churches was down one per cent at 52,700. Blessings of marriages following a civil ceremony fell (by nine per cent, to 3,900). The total number of weddings in the UK in 2009 has not yet been published, although numbers have been falling gradually in recent years.

The total number of funerals also dropped (by six per cent, to 176,700), particularly those taking place in crematoria (by nine per cent, to 85,600); this is against a backdrop of a falling UK mortality rate (the number of deaths fell by 3.5 per cent between 2008 and 2009).

Nine in ten parish churches completed attendance counts.  These have been verified across all 16,000 Church of England churches by the Research and Statistics Department of the Archbishops' Council. The provisional figures can be seen on the web.

Celebrating festivals

Widespread snow and ice badly effected Christmas Day attendances in 2009, with some churches forced to cancel services. Attendances and those receiving Communion on Easter Sunday were little changed from 2008.

In summary: Attendance at local church services on Christmas Eve/Day 2009 was down nine per cent at 2,420,600 (2008: 2,647,200; 2007: 2,656,800). These figures do not include the large number attending other services related to Christmas, for example, Christingle and carol services during Advent. Easter observance was little changed at 1,411,200 (2008: 1,415,800; 2007: 1,469,000).

The number of adults on the electoral roll of local parish churches rose one per cent from 1,179,000 to 1,197,000. The historic 'usual Sunday attendance' measure (see note below for definition) fell two per cent to 826,000 (2008: 845,000; 2007: 868,000). 

C of E statistics (link)

Dr W’s bumbling time-line (with credit to the Daily Telegraph)
9 June 2011 – Criticises government as guest editor of the New Statesman.
28 May 2011 – Expresses sympathy for public figures who take out ‘super-injunctions’. See Telegraph interview
5 May 2011 – Criticises the USA over the killing of Osama bin Laden, saying it left him feeling "very uncomfortable".
April 2010 – Expresses “deep sorrow and regret” after suggesting the Catholic Church in Ireland had lost “all credibility” over the clerical child abuse scandal.
July 2010 - “Two and a half cheers” for David Cameron’s “big society” plans but says they must not simply be “an alibi” for cuts.
2009 – Attacks the Labour government over the Iraq War, saying politicians had failed to “measure the price” of the conflict.
2008 – Provokes outrage claiming elements of Islamic Sharia law, such as divorce, will be incorporated into the British legal system.
2002 – Confirmed as the new Archbishop of Canterbury.  Enthroned the following year.