Claims about the Church of England’s demise are exaggerated

Simon Jenkins makes his annual impassioned plea for the Church of England to be disestablished, quoting the dreadful fall in attendance since 1990 (Even Prince William doesn’t attend church – it’s time for a new Reformation, 15 February). He states that “Lively [churches] are at least finding new uses” as pubs, clubs and post offices.

As a priest in charge of four growing churches in north Doncaster, I beg to differ. The more recent statistics that Mr Jenkins avoids show that in the Church of England, the “lively ones” are actually growing – growing younger, growing more faithful, growing in their service of their communities. In fact, growing at 5% to 10% a year.

New surveys show that the current generation of young people are far more likely to believe there is a God than their parents and grandparents. A tale of lamentable decline leading to the inevitable separation of church and state is a sad one, but sadly it is based on outdated evidence and current prejudice.
Rev Stephen Gardner
Doncaster

Readers concerned that “Even Prince William doesn’t attend church” should take comfort from the fact that he regularly joins the faithful at Villa Park.
Paul R Baines
Bristol