It is widely understood that attendance at Christian worship and participation in church life is dwindling across Europe and much of the English-speaking world. The statistics for northern Europe are especially grim. But now comes word of a reversal in the decline in Britain. The Church of England has just released data showing that worship attendance in its cathedrals rose by 7% last year and has been growing steadily for a decade at a rate of about 4% per year. Mid-week services, special services, and baptisms have all shown similar growth. The Rev. Lynda Barley, Head of Research & Statistics for the Church of England, is quoted in a news release as saying,"The ministry of cathedrals is valued by many people. They have a treasured place in the heart of the nation and are actively used at key moments in individual lives and on public occasions." That may well be, but it does not explain why attendance at cathedral worship is growing so steadily and significantly in the face of general decline elsewhere.Is this growth an anomaly? Does it portend a change in worship statistics generally for all churches in Britain? We don't have answers to these questions at the moment, but something is going on in Britain worth keeping an eye on.
