Church Growth in Britain: 1980 to the Present

Description

There has been substantial church growth in Britain between 1980 and 2010. This is the controversial conclusion from the international team of scholars, who have drawn on interdisciplinary studies and the latest research from across the UK. Such church growth is seen to be on a large scale, is multi-ethnic and can be found across a wide range of social and geographical contexts. It is happening inside mainline denominations but especially in specific regions such as London, in newer churches and amongst ethnic minorities. Church Growth in Britain provides a forceful critique of the notion of secularisation which dominates much of academia and the media - and which conditions the thinking of many churches and church leaders. This book demonstrates that, whilst decline is happening in some parts of the church, this needs to be balanced by recognition of the vitality of large swathes of the Christian church in Britain. Rebalancing the debate in this way requires wholesale change in our understanding of contemporary British Christianity. Cover Half Title Title Page Copyright Page Table of Contents List of Figures and Tables List of Contributors Acknowledgements Part I: Introduction 1 Church Growth in Britain, 1980 to the Present Day Part II: Mainstream Churches 2 Anglican Resurgence: The Church of England in London 3 Devout East Enders: Catholicism in the East End of London 4 Baptist Growth in England 5 Stirrings in Barchester: Cathedrals and Church Growth 6 Reverse Mission: From the Global South to Mainline Churches Part III: New Churches 7 The Rise of Black Churches 8 African Pentecostal Growth: The Redeemed Christian Church of God in Britain 9 Moving Up and Moving Out?: The Expansion of a London-based ‘African Pentecostal’ Church 10 A History of Fresh Expressions and Church Planting in the Church of England 11 From the Margins to the Mainstream: New Churches in York 12 The Diversification of English Christianity: The Example of Birmingham Part IV: Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland 13 Growth Amidst Decline: Edinburgh’s Churches and Scottish Culture 14 Economic Factors in Church Growth and Decline in South and South West Wales 15 Northern Irish Protestantism: Evangelical Vitality and Adaptation Conclusion The Death and Resurrection of Christianity in Contemporary Britain Select Bibliography Index