Church of England reports rise in church attendance

It’s happening in Rhode Island with Catholics — and now, across the pond, too.

From the Religion News Service:

In a challenge to conventional wisdom that church attendance is plummeting across Britain and Western Europe, the Church of England says attendance at its 43 cathedrals grew 7 percent last year.

A report by the Rev. Lynda Barley, head of research and statistics at the Archbishops’ Council, said “attendance at services outside Sundays” was up 10 percent in 2010, and “steady growth” in the past decade “is restoring confidence in mission.”

About 15,800 adults and 3,100 children and young people attend Sunday services at cathedrals; over the course of a typical week, that figure rises to 27,400 adults and 7,600 children.

Following the April 29 wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton at London’s Westminster Abbey (which is not considered a cathedral), the Venerable Simon Burton-Jones, archdeacon for the Diocese of Rochester, told ENInews: “I think we’re going to have to wait a year or so to see just how the wedding impacted on people.”

Check out more.