Tag Archives: Church of England

What Anglicans (and others) think about homosexuality and disestablishment

Earlier today, the Church of England responded to the Government’s proposals to introduce same-sex marriage. In view of the discussion generated by the response, it is worth examining what Anglicans themselves think about gay relationships. BRIN correspondent Ben Clements, based at the University of Leicester, has recently looked at data from the British Social Attitudes surveys and the European Values Surveys to see how attitudes to homosexual relationship have changed over the past three decades or so. Continue reading

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Anglican Church Growth Research

The Church of England announced on 21 May 2012 the appointment of three research teams to undertake an 18-month programme on Anglican church growth. BRIN featured the invitation to tender in our post on 13 January 2012. The programme is … Continue reading

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Recent ComRes Polls

This post summarizes findings from three recent ComRes polls of the general public aged 18 and over and which have touched on religious issues. Defender of the Faith Pretty strong numerical support for the continuation of the faith links of … Continue reading

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Eastertide Anglican News

The Church of England issued two statistics-related press releases in the run-up to Easter, the first (on 3 April 2012) concerning the 2011 headline mission statistics for its cathedrals under the heading ‘Cathedral Attendance Statistics Enjoy over a Decade of … Continue reading

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Churching of Women

The churching of women (the service of purification, blessing and thanksgiving in celebration of a mother’s personal achievement of childbirth) is a rite of passage which has both biblical and pagan roots, although its liturgical expression in England can only … Continue reading

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Gay Marriage and the Church

The debate about gay marriage has become more charged during recent weeks, as the Government’s plans for its legalization in England and Wales approach the public consultation stage. In particular, there has been heavyweight opposition to same-sex (gay) marriage from … Continue reading

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Lenten Observance

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent in the Christian calendar, the forty-day period of fasting and penance ending on Easter Eve (which falls on 7 April this year), and replicating Jesus Christ’s sacrifice and withdrawal into the … Continue reading

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Church Growth and Social Action

93% of Anglican clergy agree that ‘engaging with the poor and marginalised in the local area is a vital activity for a healthy church’, and yet only 44% admit that ‘tackling poverty is a fundamental part of the strategy of … Continue reading

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YouGov’s Religion Barometer

Twice as many adults think that Britain today is too secular as deem it too religious, but just over one-half believe that religion in Britain is in terminal decline and that religion in general is more often a cause of … Continue reading

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Lords Spiritual

‘Six out of ten Brits think bishops should be booted out of the House of Lords after defeating plans to cap benefits at £26,000 a year.’ So declared The Sun on 25 January 2012, following the poll it commissioned from … Continue reading

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