Archbishop suggests capitalizing on increased interest in religion

The Archbishop of York called on Britain to “rediscover its Christian wisdom” following a survey which found that more than 40 per cent of adults intended to visit a church over the latest Christmas period, reported the Church of England Newspaper. The survey, conducted by Opinion Research Business, found that 43 per cent planned to visit a church, an increase from 39 per cent in 2003 and 33 per cent in 2001. In response to the survey, Bishop John Sentamu said: “This is really encouraging and what we should expect of a country with a strong Christian history.” He added: “The British people may not realize how much they owe to their forebears. It would be marvelous if this great nation rediscovered its Christian wisdom.” The poll found that church attendance would be highest in rural areas where 49 per cent of people said they would visit a church over the holidays. The survey also found that seven in 10 people agreed that Church of England schools had a positive role in educating children. Interestingly, 61 per cent of people who said they were of a non-Christian faith and 52 per cent of no religious faith, supported the schools. Whilst overall church attendance has slumped, the new figures are grounds for optimism for church leaders who have tried to expel the notion that Britain has evolved into a secular nation. Opinion Research Business surveyed a representative sample of 1,019 adults by telephone last Nov. 4-6.