“The challenge for faith communities in Scotland and elsewhere is to find
ways in which churches can learn to survive and thrive in this kind of social
context. Social changes – and the Holy Spirit – are creating a situation
where the status quo is no longer a ‘safe option’ and the challenge of
change is unavoidable.
“Of all the factors which have led to decline, one of the most obvious is a
generational failure. The children and grandchildren of today’s churchgoers
have not followed them into active membership.
“But it is not all bad news or cries of ‘crisis’. The results of the 2016 Scottish
Church Census offer some encouragement to churches. There is a slowing
of decline and some signs of recovery.
“If we are to ‘survive and thrive’, the way ahead will require prayerful
faithfulness with hard work. It will need visionary and skilled leadership. It will
be a long but also a rewarding road. Churches will look very different. Some
suggest that there are particular values which will bring growth. But there is
no alternative to a path of spiritual faithfulness lived with an outward-facing
commitment to growth and with integrity of life, community and service. I
believe that many congregations in the Scottish Episcopal Church are
already on that journey.
“Churches offer community and belonging in an age of individualism. They
encourage people to explore the deepest issues of life in times which often
seem troubled and alarming.