Bishop warns Church will wither away without radical change to attract more people
Ben Farmer. Daily Telegraph. 20 October 2014
Church must change or ‘wither away’ warns bishop – Daily Telegraph
14 thoughts on “Church must change or ‘wither away’ warns bishop – Daily Telegraph”
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David,
Sorry if I am reading too much into your post. I believe that leadership should be plural. In the Anglican set up this probably means an ordained leader. However, an intentional group needs to be formed and nurtured before any public worship or outreach is instigated for a church plant. This group group should reflect socially and ethically the target population. I have not seen any recent figures on the ethnic make up of current ordinands. At the local level, there are probably too many white only congregations. In congregations with some ethnic mix it is up to the incumbent to encourage the development of leaders from all sections of the church. The middle class black boy by the time he has gone through grammar school, university and theological college my be more in touch with the dominant culture than his ethnic routes. The numbers may be deceptive.
Dave
Dave,
No worries, but let’s look at the data we have
Earlier in 2014, the ‘Turn up the Volume’ initiative was launched. It was aimed at increasing the number of senior minority ethnic clergy, which currently stands at fewer than 10, including the Rt Rev John Sentamu, Archbishop of York, one dean and three archdeacons.
Revd Canon Rosemarie Mallett, Vicar and member of the task group, noted that ‘there has been an increase of UK ME ordinands of 20 per cent since 2005, official figures for UK ME clergy still only represent three per cent of all stipendiary clergy.’ i.e. of 7798 full-time stipendiary clergy reported in 2012.
From the 2007 National Parish Diversity Monitoring report, I’ll cite two examples.
1. In Birmingham, the clergy in the diocese was 4.5% minority ethnic, while the core congregations were 11.1% ME. In 2011, the ethnic distribution was 58% white, 27% asian and 9% black.
2. In Southwark, the clergy in the same diocese was 6.8% minority ethnic, while the core congregations were 22.7% ME. In 2011, the ethnic distribution was 63% white, 9.4% asian and 25.9% black.
So, while I agree that ‘an intentional group needs to be formed and nurtured before any public worship or outreach is instigated for a church plant. This group should reflect socially and ethically the target population’ and that ‘it is up to the incumbent to encourage the development of leaders from all sections of the church’, it’s clear from the data that, particularly in urban areas, the ethnic profile of the clergy is significantly out of kilter with their higher proportions of ME churchgoers.
Instead, we see that the demographic timebomb is exploding with the average age of CofE churchgoers standing at 65.
The conjecture that blacks don’t want to be involved in leadership doesn’t bear consideration when we’re quite happy to exercise these roles in many other community organisations.
No, it’s the white clerical majority of the CofE that must accept a large measure of responsibility for an institution that rationalises the obvious and disproportionate lack of minority ethnic leadership in these urban areas.
If these dioceses continue to reflect a disproportionate level of white leadership, it is because there is little commitment on the part of most incumbents to change it. Eventually, blacks will desert them in droves that will only add to the reprehensible lack of leadership diversity.
Your comment about the middle-class black boy is naive. The experience of grammar school and university doesn’t particularly mean that they ditch black culture for the mainstream values of the middle-class. It also doesn’t mean that black culture will inform how they lead a congregation.
Just like remedying the neglect of the Grecian widows (Acts 6), the CofE needs leaders who will monitor and fund initiatives to meet the kind of targets for diversity that they already established in order to encourage young people to consider vocations.
David,
I notice a typo in in my last post. It should read “may” rather than “my”. Perhaps education was more coercive in my day. I think a policy of clergy recruitment would take about 20 years to have much effect on the mix of incumbents. I think those who do not like the current set up have probably already left.
“As a black man, I am especially interested in the interplay between ethnic demography and religion.” –David
“Thus I have deep reservations about ethnic congregations.” –Dave
From far across the chilly North Atlantic, my guess is that the interplay that especially interests David has more moving parts on the ground there than the ethnic congregations about which Dave has deep reservations. Making more of that interplay explicit could be helpful.
“The New Testament indicates that the early church did not split into separate Jewish and Gentile congregations in the Apostolic era.” –Dave
Yes, those who acknowledged that Jesus was the Messiah were rethinking what counted as membership in the family of Abraham, so that even the ‘Gentiles’ were in St Paul’s view ‘Jews’. This sort of universalism,* which is anticipated in Old Testament prophecy, is probably common ground here.
Does that universalism forbid churches to make reasonable provision for the actual diversity of the human community? I have heard Genesis 11 and Acts 2 cited to support opposite conclusions. For some, they are evidence that ethnic diversity is God’s positive will for humanity made visible in the Body of Christ. For others, they prove that diversity is a curse from the Fall that Pentecost overcame once and for all in the True Church. The former position is advanced to support national churches and ethnic denominations; the latter is advanced to disparage the legitimacy of both in the pursuit of an ideally integrated community. I have seen both positions lead to both good and bad consequences.
And always there is the question– how evangelische should evangelicals be? If evangelicals find empirically that they can win more souls with a strategy never used by St Paul, should they let the gospel be the criterion of their efforts or try to re-enact the C1 to be more scriptural?
_______________
* That is, the universalism that anticipates God’s reign over all the nations.
Bowman,
I can understand Dave’s reservations, although I was arguing for ethnically diverse leadership, not ethnically separate denominations.
My phrasing ‘Ethnic minority-led church plants’ should not automatically imply the intention to segregate congregation racially. Even if it does imply some form of affirmative action for leadership diversity, the selection of Gentile deacons could also be described as a biblical example of the same. It just worries me when such a pejorative inference is drawn from such a scripturally derived initiative.
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The fact that someone of a particular ethnicity is chosen to lead a church plant should not be interpreted as heralding the predominance of that person’s ethnic norms into worship. At most, it might only prompt that person to spearhead an initiative to introduce a measure of stylistic diversity reflective of the overall community, thereby encouraging an atmosphere of inclusion.
This approach is important in counteracting the hegemony in the UK that insists that the style of CofE worship should only accommodate the cultural reference points of the white majority, rather than the mission of Christ to all nations. While some cultural references may facilitate ‘teaching all nations’, they are not really part of Jesus’ ‘whatsoever I have commanded you’.
Nevertheless, I might also ask why the centuries of white cultural predominance in the CofE hasn’t provoked a similar outcry. I seen few who have challenge that wonderful luxury imposing white cultural morns on our diverse UK society.
This is probably where we need to distinguish absolute, relative and superficial moral distinctions as the early church did.
There are behavioural absolutes (e.g. generosity to all, forgiveness and forbearance towards enemies, reject all idolatrous religious practices). They are required of all Christians without distinction.
In other cases, leadership may balance diverse requirements by prescribing a compromise. At stake are relative (instead of timeless) moral distinctions. The regulation may be provisional, extending, not a moral absolute, nor an onerous imposition, but a restriction that eliminates unnecessary offence to the scruples of others at relatively lower cost to those whose liberty is curtailed.
The abstinence from blood, things strangled and food sacrificed to idols appears to be far from onerous accommodation of Jewish scruples that was expected of Gentile Christians to ensure an enduring unity.
The Elizabethan Settlement and the Book of Common Prayer are also outstanding examples of how beneficial compromise (via media) on relative moral distinctions can be achieved for the sake of unity.
As St. Paul did, we can tailor the preaching of the gospel to the understanding and cultural norms of different audiences without sacrificing its principles.
That said, it would appear that the early focus on converting synagogue-going Jews and Gentiles meant that the pattern of communal Christian worship was largely derived from the Jewish synagogue format. At the same time, Gentiles provided a rich language to express complex theological concepts, like meaning (logos), adoption (huiothesia) and redemption (apolutrósis). Could the incorporation of other words like Indaba into our theology have a similar modern purpose?
In other cases, once the moral qualities are met, it’s better to allow some provisions in the church to become more specialized (as in the appointment of Greek deacons to serve the needs of Greek widows in Acts 6). We should not view these specializations as segregation as long as such ministry provides a valuable extension to the Body of Christ connected by ‘that which every joint supplieth’ with direct and indirect bonds of affection and loyalty to the people and mission of the whole church.
As I see it, the real problem arises when these nascent outreaches, such as non-parochial church plants, grow to the point of clashing with an incumbent who has very different aspirations for his/her entire parish. A bishop can only work around obtuse and contrary ‘middle-management’ for so long.
To be clear, David, I am sure that neither I nor Dave intended anything pejorative.
I am glad that you are helping us to puzzle through this.
It occurs to me that the blog and book of Christina Cleveland might interest you. She is an evangelical social psychologist who helps American churches learn to be racially inclusive.
Bowman,
My own intention was to explore the assumptions in the wider church, rather than to point a finger at specific people.
For instance, are there ethnic cultural norms to which leaders from a particular minority conform (or are assumed to conform)? If so, how have these norms been shown to influence the acceptance of minority leadership and worship of a congregation under such leadership?
I don’t want to divert this thread from the main topic and I just wanted to probe the different notions that arise in the wider church without implying a sinister intent to comments here (in the latter regard, I failed).
Your own writing speaks volumes about your generosity towards the many historic global strands of tradition interwoven into our common life.
Thanks for pointing me towards Christina’s blog.
“I don’t want to divert this thread from the main topic…”
To whatever extent the “market” segments itself, we have no choice but to take some notice of it.
“A bishop can only work around obtuse and contrary ‘middle-management’ for so long.”
Not all accept that the bishop is the one responsible. And yet congregations may be alienated from their parishes.
“Thanks for pointing me towards Christina’s blog.”
Christina’s experiences are sobering, but her work deserves all our prayers and support.
Bowman,
Blackburn lies near and area of North Manchester which has been an area of racial tension. Oldham and Burnley experienced race riots in 2001 and have been targeted for campaigning by the BNP. Recent sex trafficking case in Rochdale has heightened racial tensions. Thus churches where various ethnic groups in a community worship together are a great achievement. The New Testament indicates that the early church did not split into separate Jewish and Gentile congregations in the Apostolic era. Thus I have deep reservations about ethnic congregations. If the Church is trying to welcome immigrant communities it is 40 years too late. Many immigrants in the 1960s and 70s came from an Anglican background and found the church unwelcoming. So we have Black Majority churches. Many young people have moved into charismatic or third wave churches.
With reference to another thread, the CofE as the established church has a pastoral responsibility to the whole population. This is expressed in the parish system. Fresh expressions, messy church etc give models for planting new congregations which may reach those not attracted by the existing church. The question is how are these integrated with the existing church. If a new vicar manages to attract say 20 youngish people to a church with say an existing pensioner congregation of 10, will this become a united congregation or two groups who share a building?
Dave
“If a new vicar manages to attract say 20 youngish people to a church with say an existing pensioner congregation of 10, will this become a united congregation or two groups who share a building?”
Dave, thank you for a richly informative comment, but this part of it puzzles me.
On the face of it, two congregations share a vicar and a church.
Are you posing this as a problem or as an example?
In may experience larger churches comprise several congregations which meet at different times and have a differing ethos. The Church may maintain a sense of unity through other groups which cut across this such as house groups. Particularly where small groups are involved, I believe that unity and at least interaction is a good thing.
Ian Paul’s post and thread on this are worth skimming.
http://www.psephizo.com/life-ministry/how-to-save-a-diocese/
David, I hear three basic points in your post, all consequential. Have I misheard them?
(1) The Church of England could grow quite organically today simply by better supporting its ethnic congregations.
(2) The chief obstacle to this strategy is a culture that resists the “exuberant” worship of those ethnic congregations.
(3) The resistance is strongest in those you describe as “high church.”
Life across the pond gives me no reason to doubt what you say, and some reason to think that you may be right. Still, a few things you say puzzle me.
(a) In the other communions that I know well, ethnic pluralism is well-supported as a matter of principle. Do you think that Anglicans have too shallow a theological basis for doing the same? (How odd that inclusion is so much more energetically defended with respect to sex than with respect to ethnicity.)
(b) The stark disjunction of ‘exuberant’ and ‘high’ that you describe is not familiar to me. In the Episcopal Church, African-American worship often has both qualities and the higher one’s liturgical preferences, the more likely one is to admire it.
(c) Therefore, the implied disjunction between ‘ethnic’ and ‘high’ is likewise unfamiliar. In fact, Pentecostals in the US who have a high ecclesiology and style are nearly always African-American.
(d) Do you see ethnic differences in pastoral care that parallel the ethnic differences in worship that you mention?
Thank you for this comment. I hope that it attracts some responses from others.
So, I’m going to take a stab at the statistics. As a black man, I am especially interested in the interplay between ethnic demography and religion.
Globally, North America, Latin America, Asia and Africa are all experiencing significant growth in church affiliation. (source: Brierley)
Again, worldwide, the Independent, Protestant and Roman Catholic denominations have all been on the rise. As far as world Anglicanism is concerned, the Global South represents approximately 80 per cent of its membership (approx. 50 million).
They dwarf the 1.7 million people take part in a Church of England service each month (source: CofE website). Add to this the fact that the religious and racial demographics of towns, like Blackburn, have changed considerably. According to the 2011 Census, within Lancashire. 20 per cent were black or minority ethnic.
We may debate whether the term ‘white flight’ (which was coined to describe the migration of white families away from those areas characterized by an influx of ethnic minorities) accurately describes the changes in these areas. Some might simply attribute them to differences in population growth among the various races.
What is clear is that the religious affiliations of major ethnic groups do not particularly converge. Pentecostal growth has been fuelled by black affiliation. Most of us are in no rush to attend CofE services. If we do, we are in no mood to absorb white cultural norms, when we know and love our own.
Considering Christian denominations, the English Church Census 2005 (Christian Research) showed that non-white church attendance increased by 19% from 2001. By comparison, white churchgoing community decreased by 19%.
The same survey showed that, as a proportion of national figures, black church attendance was at least three times our proportion of the population, moving from 2.6% to 3.8%.
Any one can see the significance of these trends. It’s very much the same as the spread of Christianity among the Gentiles. The main agents of any religion’s growth are its resonance (often native) with specific ethnicities, migration, and relative population growth.
If the Cof E is to halt its decline, it must allow mission to be reversed, whereby it formally supports and recognizes ethnic minority-led church plants that will abide by its doctrine to invigorate and spearhead genuine church diversity.
While Bishop’s Mission Orders could be implemented to work around the objections of ‘difficult’ incumbents of selected parishes, the real issue is whether these initiatives are sustained by bishops within the National Church structure, or jettisoned.
Often, that’s a political decision fuelled by the bishop’s unwillingness to aggravate a high-church incumbent who cannot accept the operation of a more exuberant Form of worship within his benefice The eventual abandonment of official support for Christchurch Fulwood in Sheffield comes to mind.
Reversing the decline requires a strategy that fast-tracks the process for diversifying Anglican church leadership to retain both a respect for Anglican traditions and engender the trust that minorities will be treated as equals. If not, the bishops can continue to hold their hands out to an increasing disaffected white majority of which their youth are statistically the most likely to reject their overtures. It’s King Canute all over again.
I’m reminded of how St. Peter averted disquiet among Christianity’s early Gentile following: ‘Brothers and sisters, choose seven men from among you who are known to be full of the Spirit and wisdom. We will turn this responsibility over to them and will give our attention to prayer and the ministry of the word.’
The bishops would do well to follow his example, but unfortunately, I’m not holding my breath.