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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Claims about the Church of England’s demise are exaggerated | Claims about the Church of England’s demise are exaggerated |
| (about 11 hours later) | |
| Rev Stephen Gardner and Paul R Baines respond to an article by Simon Jenkins | Rev Stephen Gardner and Paul R Baines respond to an article by Simon Jenkins |
| 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. | 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. | 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of lamentable decline leading to the inevitable separation of church and state is a sad one, but sadly it is based on outdated evidence and current prejudice.Rev Stephen GardnerDoncaster | |
| 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 BainesBristol | |
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