Does the Future have a church?

In the latest crisis to hit the Church of England todays Observer statesUK Churches accused of cover-up over sex attacks

British church authorities stand accused of covering up a catalogue of sexual assaults on women by clergymen.

An investigation by The Observer has uncovered more than 60 cases where women have alleged they were abused by clerics from all denominations. Many victims claim the churches have ignored their suffering while allowing the offenders to go on preaching from the pulpit.

This all has a sadly familiar ring to it. With issues around homosexual vicars, druid links, liberal theology and conservatives threatening to withdraw finances or even leave the new Archbishop is in the mire deep at the moment. As church attendance shrinks the church heirarchy looks ever more distant and out of touch with the modern world.

There is no doubt in my mind that Christians ought to lead the way on dealing with issues of sexual abuse not be dragged screaming and kicking to face up to it by the world.

It is time that heirachical stuctures of so called church were demolished- and it looks to me like they will fall apart by themselves within a generation- and new stuctures that are more responsibe, vibrant and alive should emerge.

To an outsider the decline of the church in England must lead them to ask ‘Does the future have a church?’ Terry Virgo clearly believes in his book that it does, but that it must look very different to how it has in the recent past.