Numerically, of course, not theologically; theologically, it has nowhere left to go – surely.
In 2017, the ACoC published these numbers, which led statistics officer Rev Dr. Neil Elliot to predict extinction by 2040:
As of 2022, the number looked like this:
There has been a 40% decrease in average Sunday attendance since 2001, with a accelerated decline of 26% between 2019 and 2022. The good news is funerals have not declined.
Read more about it here:
Sharp drop during pandemic: stats officer
The COVID-19 pandemic saw a significant decline in church attendance, marking a “radical discontinuity” even with previous downward trends, the Anglican Church of Canada’s statistics officer says.
Canon Neil Elliot presented data from 2022 diocesan returns in a January report sent to bishops and diocesan executive officers based on parish statistics. The statistics officer said he did not collect numbers in 2020 and 2021 since COVID-19 shut down churches for much of that time.
The figures show a decline on almost all fronts from 2019 to 2022, including a 12 per cent decrease in the total number on parish rolls, 26 per cent decrease in average Sunday attendance, and 17 per cent decrease in regular identifiable givers. The biggest drops came in the number of people attending services on major holy days: a 45 per cent decline in Easter attendance, 37 per cent for Pentecost and 47 per cent for Christmas.
Declines were also seen in the number of pastoral services, with 25 per cent fewer baptisms, 13 per cent fewer confirmations and 10 per cent fewer marriages—the only exception being funerals, which saw a very small increase.
“Attendance has been hit,” Elliot said. “I think that’s a really clear thing.”
At this point– it’s dead to me- sadly….a loss I still mourn after being shown the door 3 years ago after my and 3 generations of attendance by my family.
sad
extremely sad- we mourn it as we would with a loved one
The Roman Catholic Church is declining too it’s that there’s so many things to do out there just look at how computer literate young people are now. All preoccupied with these things but the Bible says, “Think On These Things…”
Now what would be interesting to know is the numbers during the same period from ANIC in Canada and the ACNA in the US and Mexico. Perhaps Kevin and George from the Anglican Unscripted podcast can help here.
The report describes the situation in my church in Toronto – simply that people are leaving and dying off at a high rate than of people joining. But new people are joining.
The source article from the Anglican Journal also mentioned the Cast the Net visioning project with it’s 20 potential goals for churches in Toronto. Nowhere is there mention of proclaiming Jesus Christ as Lord and saviour. Meanwhile up the road from me at the United Church, this is exactly how they begin their self-description. I rest my case…
The real startling numbers are the significant drops in ‘major holy day’ attendance. Does this mean that the ‘C&E Christians’ are dropping away faster than the regulars? Whatever the answer, this is a sorry state of affairs.
And this follows on the heels of an article from our Bishop regarding the upcoming retirement of the Primate. The article lists all of her activities during her tenure and not one of them has anything to do with evangelism and discipleship – two of the most important initiatives that build healthy and thriving churches! I truly believe that the leadership has lost their way.
Lord have mercy!
What gets me is that the clergy when asked about this decline and the overall sad state of the AOC- they have this shit eating grin on their faces and mumble a bunch of words together which make no sense- Are they doing it on purpose and if so why? Is there some financial gain for them ?
Notice how the clerical numbers have risen! And how corruption is never among the societal evils addressed by the ‘leadership’!
Where does all the money from the sale of church properties go?
Suppose the whole movement, the decades of teaching of misogynist falsehoods about sex, love and marriage, is and always has been about drawing a church salary and pension while believing and practising what one pleases?
Mt. 5:27-32: https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/mt-527-32-dr-priscilla-turner/
As long as the Anglican Church of Canada and other branches that worship the “god of political expedience.” the numbers will continue to decline. What is needed within the ACoC and other denominations that worship the “god of political expedience” the membership will continue to decline.
What can we learn from some events in the Old Testament? God used a donkey to speak His truth (Numbers 22:28). He can use humans to accomplish His plans. In 586 BC, God allowed the pagan Babylon to punish Judah.
“Theologically…surely” not; praxis-wise to Share their three-headed office space, just inked, while inflicting KAIROS/Hamas Auschwitz Borders on Israel. Good stewardship.
I think in 2001, Dr. Alister McGrath, an Anglican theologian who has a Ph.D. In Biophysics from Oxford University once said: “When the dust of postmodernism settles, four institutional forms of Christianity will have survived: Roman Catholicism, Eastern Orthodoxy, Pentecostalism, and Evangelicalism”. He did not mention Anglicanism.