Thriving churches

SIR – As a lifelong Christian, I feel I must respond to the comments made regarding the demise of the faith in England and Wales (Letters, December 1). When attending churches around the country during my holidays, I have noticed that it tends to be the ones that have modernised that are thriving.

Organisations die if they do not accommodate the younger generations, and the Church is no different. The old village churches and old free church chapels suffer from many problems, such as the fact that they are small and, if the building is listed, are not allowed to build extensions, add a lavatory or remove pews to provide comfortable seats.

Young families usually want to be part of larger congregations where more is going on for children, with youth facilities, a worship band instead of an organ and discussion groups. In the days when transport was mostly on foot, people had to attend locally – but now, if the local church does not provide what they want, they get in their cars and drive to another one.

I am an organist and worship leader in a Methodist church, and now lead a band on the Methodist circuit, too. However, I have also been a member of a Pentecostal church and am happy to share the services of any true believers. I have my preferences for worship but do not rule out others.

There are thriving churches meeting in community halls and huge adapted warehouses, as well as small fellowships in homes. The ability to adapt is essential. This does not mean compromising faith – just modifying how it is expressed.

Rosemary J Wells

Weymouth, Dorset

SIR – Reports of the imminent death of Christianity in England and Wales have been greatly exaggerated.

It is of course true that the proportion of the population identifying as Christian has declined. However, our research conducted with Yougov indicates that this is likely to be the result of people no longer using a label that doesn’t fit them.

This is, in turn, likely to be a consequence of greater religious sensitivity and a deeper awareness of what identifying with a religion actually means, and as such is more to be welcomed than deplored.

Our research also shows that, between 2018 and 2022, church attendance has remained stable, with around 10 per cent attending at least monthly and a decline in historic denominations offset by growth in newer expressions of faith.

We have also found a rise in the number of people saying they believe in God, and a fall in the number with “no religion” who say there is definitely or probably no God or higher power. A fall in the number identifying as “Christian” is not the same as a fall in the number of religiously active Christians, and neither does it imply a rise in the number of atheists.

Commentators who argue that Britain is no longer a religious nation are simply wrong. Only 37 per cent describe themselves as non-religious, and more than half of the population of England and Wales actively identify themselves as religious. Furthermore, while we take no position on constitutional issues, the funeral of Queen Elizabeth II was very thoughtprovoking in this respect. We found that 72 per cent of people believed it was appropriate that Christianity should feature in royal occasions, and only 15 per cent thought that a state royal event, such as a wedding or a funeral, should be wholly secular.

Dr Rhiannon Mcaleer

Head of Research, Bible Society Swindon, Wiltshire