Despite recent reports that Christianity is “declining 50 percent faster than previously thought” in the United Kingdom, a major survey suggests that British evangelicals are quite optimistic about the future.
Census data released in May revealed that the number of Britons who identify as Christian decreased by 4.3 million people between 2001 and 2011–falling 11.5 percent. Yet a new survey from the Evangelical Alliance of the United Kingdom (EAUK) on church life found that 7 in 10 British evangelicals expect their local churches to grow over the next 20 years, and nearly half say their churches are already “noticeably growing.”
However, there was one aspect in which respondents–two-thirds of which attend Anglican, Baptist, or charismatic churches–weren’t quite as optimistic: Only 4 in 10 said they expect the wider Church to grow between now and 2033.
The survey covers an array of topics, including the types of churches attended, preferences on worship style, involvement in church ministries, and views toward church leaders.
In 2010, CT reported how news of Christianity’s demise in the U.K. was “premature.” CT regularly reports on the U.K., including why British schools teach Christianity, albeit badly.
