Beyond Decline: A Challenge to the ChurchesPerhaps the most obvious thing one can say about the churches in Britain today is that they are declining. The facts are evident. However, responses to that decline vary considerably, and Robin Gill, parish priest and theologian as well as sociologist, has written to challenge some of them. Dr Gill begins by examining the way in which decline has led to what he argues is a disastrous anti-intellectualism within the churches. Then he goes on to examine ways in which declining churches are tempted to compensate by pressing for general assemblies and synods to make specific moral and social pronouncements. A third chapter sets out alternative and sometimes incompatible options for Christians to engage in moral and social issues. A fourth chapter examines competing models of evangelism and church growth. In the fifth chapter Dr Gill analyses clergy deployment within declining British churches. Concluding that churches are not deploying clergy in the most effective way to counter decline, he suggests a radical model for deployment to edge the churches beyond decline. The book ends with a vision of faith beyond decline. |
Contents
Introduction | 1 |
The Gulf in Social Pronouncements | 20 |
Social Action Beyond Decline | 39 |
Copyright | |
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abortion academic theologians active amongst Anglican argued attempt aware Badham become believe biblical bishops Britain today British churches Bryan Wilson cent central challenge Christ church buildings church decline church growth Church Growth Movement Church of England Church of Scotland churchgoers churchgoing claim concern congregation convinced corporate worship critical declining churches denominations deployment despite Don Cupitt ecumenical effective ethical eucharist evangelicals evidence faith forms full-time Ibid important increasingly individual institutional Jehovah's Witnesses Kairos Document McGavran membership minister moral and social moral praxis Newcastle diocese non-stipendiary clergy non-stipendiary ministry nuclear deterrence ordination of women parochial pastoral pluralist society population position priest prophetic radical relationship religion religious response Robin Gill role Roman Catholic rural ministry SCM Press Scottish Episcopal Church sectarian prophecy sects seek simply situation social issues society at large sociological sociologists sociology of religion stipendiary clergy strategies structures Testament theology tion UPA clergy UPAs urban worshipping communities