THE DECAY OF FAITH

Evening Post, Volume CXXXV, Issue 149, 25 June 1943, Page 5

THE DECAY OF FAITH

"ABYSMAL SITUATION" (Special P.A. Correspondent.) Rec. 9.30 a.m. LONDON, June 24. The Church Assembly carried a resolution asking the archbishops tcT appoint a commission to survey the whole problem of modern evangelism, with special reference to spiritual needs and the prevailing intellectual outlook of the non-worshipping community, and for a report on organisation methods by which such needs may be most effectively met. The Bishop of Chelmsford, the Rt. Rev. H. A. Wilson, declared: "The decay of faith is a world-wide phenomenon. This is not merely a problem which is troubling England or the Church of England. Every Christian community in Britain and the world is experiencing the same abysmal situation. It is a condition ■which has been slowly and steadily taking shape and has been assuming an increasingly alarming shape over a long period. "On the one hand we have the complete disappearance of Sunday; it has gone as a day of worship. We have the collapse of public worship, an enormous increase in divorces, a grave moral decline among multitudes of young people, an increase in venereal disease in the last few years of 80 per cent, and an enormous increase in juvenile crime. On the other hand there are the splendid qualities of our people—generosity, gay courage, good •temper, and sympathy. I almost think that there were never a more lovable people than the rank ,and file. Why are these people untouched by Christian influence? That is a bewildering and agonising problem." He denied that the growth of juvenile crime was-due to the war, and pointed out that it was serious in 1936. "We know that people do not go to church today," he said, "but there is a great deal of Christianity underlying it all —we are all very Christian at heart." It was estimated that 10 per cent, of the population were definitely attached to some Christian religion—but he thought that was too optimistic. Thirty per cent, were kindly disposed to Christianity and put in an appearance at church on special occasions, 50 per cent, were totally indifferent, and 10 per cent, were definitely opposed. He asked for careful planning of the whole position by a competent body, and added, "I would like to go much further and see set up in the Church of England a permanent headquarters staff." ,