Religion
Related: About this forumIn modern Britain, tradition is no excuse for retaining religious privilege
Last edited Mon May 30, 2016, 06:26 PM - Edit history (1)
News that those declaring themselves to have no religion have exceeded the number of Christians in England and Wales has again prompted questions about Christianity's privileged role in public life.
Posted: Fri, 27 May 2016 10:25
by Stephen Evans
Despite the vast majority of Brits being secular in outlook and largely indifferent to religion, our political structures and institutions have failed to keep pace with changing demographics. This leaves the privileged position of the established Church looking increasingly incongruous with the reality of modern life.
Despite Church attendance being in steady decline for the best part of a century, the CofE is still handed millions of pounds of public money to educate, inculcate and impose prayers on the one million children attending its church schools. With the decline of local education authorities, academisation may well see an increasing number of non-religious schools being swallowed up by Church-run academy trusts. Already the Church is the biggest sponsor of academies in England and a third of all schools are 'faith schools'.
One has to question how sustainable this all is when all the evidence suggests that the reduction in Christian affiliation and increase in non-religious affiliation is set to continue.
Meanwhile, 26 Church of England bishops laud it over us from their ex officio seats in Parliament, which gives them significant political power and influence which extends far beyond the debating chamber and deep into the heart of Government.
http://www.secularism.org.uk/blog/2016/05/in-modern-britain-tradition-is-no-excuse-for-retaining-religious-privilege
It must be terrible to live in a theocracy.
MisterP
(23,730 posts)and the former has no influence on the latter!
rug
(82,333 posts)MisterP
(23,730 posts)hrmjustin
(71,265 posts)will force the church to become more independent.
Maybe a referendum might be called.