Church of England Facing ‘Catastrophic’ Loss as Last Generation Centered on Family, God Is Dying Out

A new book warns that the Church of England, which is declining in numbers while its members are growing older in age, is facing a “catastrophic” loss. Abby Day of Goldsmiths, University of London, says in her book The Religious Lives of Older Laywomen: The Last Active Anglican Generation, that close to 70,000 female church volunteers are now in their

80s and 90s, with research suggesting that the younger generation is not going to replace them. “While elderly laywomen have never been given a formal voice or fully acknowledged by the Church, they are the heart, soul and driving organizational force in parishes everywhere. Their loss will be catastrophic,” Day said in an interview posted by The Daily Mail. MORE