It all adds upThursday, 4 June 2009
Changing Times
After six years in the United States, I am now back in the United Kingdom & what a shock! While recognise the fact the things change, it is surprising about the "Spiritual Welbeing" in the UK. Regardless of your denominational allegiance you me stay have, the established Church of England still have power even though their congregational membership hardly goes beyond 50% full! This was proven while I was in Croydon recently when a member of a local Baptist church informed me that it was really "Part of the Church of England". What they meant was that children of Baptists or any other churches were "permitted" to attend the local Anglican church school because the local Bishop "cooperating for ecumenical reasons".
As you move into rural England,things do not change.
While the church environment in every country is changing with a strong influence of non-denominational "Mega church' growth, this is not the case for the British conscience who still view them with suspicion!
While the Church of England struggle to keep a firm grip on representing the majority of the population, the Roman Catholic of England & Wales as well as Scotland are enjoying their growth partly due to influx of Polish Immigrants as well former Anglicans seeking a more conservative line in addition to those from "House Churches" seeking the structure of Liturgy offered by the Roman Catholic Church.
But it comes as continued surprise to me,how many people make an assumption that everyone is Anglican,not only that,but limited to the Middle-of-the -Road party believing that good old Anglo-Catholics are really "Papist Spies": Long Live Queen Elizabeth the First!! and the Evangelicals are not a "Real" church.
As you move into rural England,things do not change.
While the church environment in every country is changing with a strong influence of non-denominational "Mega church' growth, this is not the case for the British conscience who still view them with suspicion!
While the Church of England struggle to keep a firm grip on representing the majority of the population, the Roman Catholic of England & Wales as well as Scotland are enjoying their growth partly due to influx of Polish Immigrants as well former Anglicans seeking a more conservative line in addition to those from "House Churches" seeking the structure of Liturgy offered by the Roman Catholic Church.
But it comes as continued surprise to me,how many people make an assumption that everyone is Anglican,not only that,but limited to the Middle-of-the -Road party believing that good old Anglo-Catholics are really "Papist Spies": Long Live Queen Elizabeth the First!! and the Evangelicals are not a "Real" church.
