UK church buildings debate launched

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THE National Churches Trust has launched a nationwide debate looking at the future of the UK’s church buildings.

With an increasing number of churches and chapels facing closure, the debate highlights the community, economic, heritage and spiritual benefits of churches. It also gives individuals and church organisations the chance to have a say on how these buildings can be saved for future generations.

Launching the debate and consultation, the Trust has put together a ‘church buildings manifesto’ in which leading figures from around the UK make the case for their future, highlighting their value not only as places for worship and reflection but for building stronger communities, heritage and tourism.

The manifesto shows that the number of church buildings open and used for worship has declined from around 42,000 to 39,800 in the last 10 years, with the cost of repairs a major factor – the Church of England alone will have to find £1bn for repairs to 16,000 parish churches in the next five years. However, the report argues that the repair bill is vastly outweighed by the economic and social benefits of keeping the buildings open.

Articles in the manifesto look at church buildings’ importance to communities, in inner cities and in rural areas. Others focus on churches’ role in feeding the hungry, and look at their contribution in music.

Among the contributors are former and current MPs, and clergy from the Church of England and Roman Catholic Church.

Scotland is represented by Stuart Beattie, the director of Scotland’s Churches Trust, who writes that ‘Scotland’s religious history and its geography pose some unique challenges’.

Mr Beattie brings together a series of contributions including one from RD Kernohan, the former editor of Life and Work, who warns that ‘Scotland, for good historical reasons, had too many churches. It now risks having too few. It may also fail to ensure that they are in the best places for effective evangelism or to include all those of most historic or artistic importance’.

Mr Kernohan also warns that there are signs in the Church of ‘an anti-building complex’. He says that the question of buildings should be separated from the question of ministers; and that there should be greater devolution to local congregations of decisions about buildings.

The Future of the UK’s Church Buildings debate is backed by the actor, broadcaster and comedian Michael Palin, who is Vice President of the National Churches Trust. He said: “The UK has over 39,000 church buildings. The restrictions of Covid-19, resulting in reduced funding and fewer worshippers, has clouded the future for many of them. Yet churches remain a vital and much-loved part of the UK’s history and heritage and we can’t let them fall into neglect and disuse.

“If you care as much as I do about the future of these much-loved buildings, do get involved with the debate and help shape their future.” ¤