At least someone in the ACoC has noticed it is in serious decline:

“The church of Christ in every age, beset by change but Spirit led, must claim and test its heritage and keep on rising from the dead.”  (“The Church of Christ in Every Age,” #584, Common Praise)

“Beset by change but Spirit led”—this description of the church could apply to any century and certainly applies today. Media reports confirm what our best demographics tell us, that the Anglican Church of Canada is in serious decline in terms of numbers and influence. It is time to claim our heritage and be open to the leading of the Spirit.

If we reclaim our vocations—as evangelists, storytellers, caregivers, advocates for peace and justice, and stewards of creation—the church can and will find new ways to express service to God and neighbour.

This message is begging for a little translation. When the ACoC says open to the leading of the Spirit, it is not referring to God the Holy Spirit, third member of the Trinity. It is referring to the institutional zeitgeist, a junior demon subject to strict orders from the National Zeitgeist, the senior demon.

In addition, since, by and large, the ACoC no longer believes in the innate sinfulness of man, that he deserves God’s judgement and without redemption will end up in hell,  it isn’t aware that there is anything he needs saving from other than global warming. So when evangelism is mentioned the good news that is the subject of the evangelism is nothing more than nice liturgy, nice preaching and nice stories – and who, other than the usual coterie of effete clergy, really cares about that.

As the title says, the Anglican Church of Canada is in serious decline.