Posted: Apr 12, 2012 6:34 am
Whatever the case may be about the "high tide of 'new atheism'", it doesn't follow that this is good news for the established churches. There has been a clear long-term decline in church attendance - data below for 19800-2005 - and I see no indication this is reversing.
- Total Church Attendance in England 1980-2005:
1980 4.7m.
1985 4.3m
1990 4.1m
1995 3.6m
2000 3.1m
2005 2.7m
(Source: http://www.brin.ac.uk/news/2011/church- ... 1980-2005/)