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Former Archbishop of Canterbury: We are a Post-Christian Nation
The Daily Telegraph (UK) ^ | 4/26/14 | Tim Ross, Cole Moreton and James Kirkup

Posted on 04/27/2014 6:47:35 PM PDT by marshmallow

Exclusive: Former archbishop of Canterbury says Britain is no longer a nation of believers, as Telegraph poll reveals Christians are reluctant to express their faith

Britain is now a “post-Christian” country, the former archbishop of Canterbury has declared, as research suggests that the majority of Anglicans and Roman Catholics now feel afraid to express their beliefs.

In an interview with The Telegraph, Lord Williams of Oystermouth says Britain is no longer “a nation of believers” and that a further decline in the sway of the Church is likely in the years ahead.

While the country is not populated exclusively by atheists, the former archbishop warns that the era of regular and widespread worship is over.

His stark assessment comes after David Cameron ignited a national debate over the place of religion in British public life. The Prime Minister urged Christians to be “more evangelical” about their faith and claimed that Britain should be a more confidently Christian country.

His remarks, in the run-up to Easter, provoked a furious response from atheist and secular groups, and prompted a succession of senior politicians to give their views, culminating in Nick Clegg, the Liberal Democrat leader, calling for the disestablishment of the Church of England.

(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...


TOPICS: Catholic; Mainline Protestant; Religion & Culture; Skeptics/Seekers
KEYWORDS: formerlygreatbritain; noenglandanymore; noenglandnow
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1 posted on 04/27/2014 6:47:36 PM PDT by marshmallow
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To: marshmallow

“Former archbishop of Canterbury says Britain is no longer a nation of believers, as Telegraph poll reveals Christians are reluctant to express their faith”

What was his contribution to the current situation?


2 posted on 04/27/2014 6:50:29 PM PDT by Soul of the South (Yesterday is gone. Today will be what we make of it.)
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To: Soul of the South

Considerable.


3 posted on 04/27/2014 6:56:22 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (Resist We Much)
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To: marshmallow

The worst of it is that it creates a vacuum that is not filled by secularism but will be filled by Islam!


4 posted on 04/27/2014 6:56:32 PM PDT by melsec (Once a Jolly Swagman camped by a Billabong.)
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To: Soul of the South
What was his contribution to the current situation?

Significant.
Many threads on FR attest to that.

5 posted on 04/27/2014 7:00:10 PM PDT by Amagi (Lenin: "Socialized Medicine is the Keystone to the Arch of the Socialist State.")
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To: marshmallow

I’d say that USA is also a “post Christian” nation.....if a recent survey saying 77% of our citizens believe that Jesus rose from the dead, I don’t believe it.

If they really did, they wouldn’t live and vote like they do......

Maybe 77% have some vague “Christian” beliefs, but far fewer than that are true Christians who walk out and live out their faith......I dare not guess a real number as only God knows.......


6 posted on 04/27/2014 7:03:04 PM PDT by Arlis
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To: marshmallow

Consolation perhaps is that the forces of the rabid secular left will fall victim to an enemy far more cunning and pernicious than they, namely the BLACK FLAG OF JIHAD.


7 posted on 04/27/2014 7:05:10 PM PDT by Viennacon
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To: marshmallow

He’s quite late to reality. This has been true in liberal England for decades now.


8 posted on 04/27/2014 7:26:46 PM PDT by Theodore R. (It was inevitable: Texans will always be for Cornball and George P.!)
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To: Viennacon

They’re willing dhimmis waving that flag proudly. Degenerate scum to the last.


9 posted on 04/27/2014 7:26:58 PM PDT by fieldmarshaldj (Resist We Much)
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To: marshmallow

This is a horrible, horrible tragedy for Britain and for the world, considering the rich and long-standing Christian heritage of the country, and the legacy it gave to English-speaking Christians everywhere: the King James Bible, the Book of Common Prayer, the architecture, the hymnody, Cranmer, Wesley, Cardinal Newman. Not to mention the Christian themes played over time after time in the finest English literature. The earliest mentions of Christians in the British Isles is from the 2nd or 3rd century. And now that has all collapsed in — what - two generations?


10 posted on 04/27/2014 7:29:06 PM PDT by Southside_Chicago_Republican (If liberty means anything at all, it means the right to tell people what they do not want to hear.)
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To: marshmallow

This came about on his watch - he was more concerned with what people thought of the church that with the Head of the Church thought - and it showed!

We will not be far behind if we are “cowered” into not standing on Christian principles.


11 posted on 04/27/2014 7:33:45 PM PDT by impactplayer
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To: melsec

Sad but true. Coming to our side of the pond as well.


12 posted on 04/27/2014 7:34:56 PM PDT by ReformationFan
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To: Theodore R.

Sad but true. It’s almost like he said that water is wet.


13 posted on 04/27/2014 7:36:43 PM PDT by ReformationFan
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To: marshmallow

“Lord Williams of Oystermouth.” Like, sure, I’m really into him as a source of deep wisdom.

Seriously, is he a character in Harry Potter? Has anyone seen John Semmens lately?


14 posted on 04/27/2014 7:39:03 PM PDT by Tax-chick (I'd forgotten how much fun it is having a dog.)
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To: Tax-chick

Williams and Clegg are both agents of the left. Possibly also of the lord of lies as well.
They have achieved what they set out to do.


15 posted on 04/27/2014 7:46:51 PM PDT by moose07 (the truth will out ,one day.)
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To: Tax-chick

Otherwise known as Rowan Williams. From a pal that had met him, a fairly decent man but certainly it appeared not up to the task as the Church of England frittered away under his watch.


16 posted on 04/27/2014 7:56:29 PM PDT by KC Burke (Officially since Memorial Day they are the Gimmie-crat Party.ha)
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To: marshmallow

Those are strong words from Cameron, and good for him. They should be commonplace. I can’t even imagine our president beginning to utter them. Those foisting diversity on the world knew what they were doing.

I full well know that I could be pushed aside by rabid secularists in my current place of employment and deemed a racists or homophobe or whatever random and backwards excuse they could come up for attempting to suppress faith.


17 posted on 04/27/2014 8:19:20 PM PDT by CaspersGh0sts
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To: Soul of the South
You mean Rowan Williams the Druid priest who had secret communion ceremonies for homosexuals, and refused to confess Jesus Christ as the Son of God? Oh he was just such a nice thoughtful guy, none of it could be his fault.
18 posted on 04/27/2014 8:20:40 PM PDT by hinckley buzzard
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To: marshmallow

Church of England is a post-Christian church.


19 posted on 04/27/2014 11:28:37 PM PDT by lurk
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To: melsec
Not quite. As the great CS Lewis observed, when people stop believing in God, they don't just start believing in nothing. Actually they start believing in EVERYTHING. Islam is growing true, but mostly by biological increase. It's not a faith that is too hot on proselytising, mostly because it doesn't have a lot to offer but adherence to a great many man-made rules and regulations. A more likely replacement for Christianity is an old enemy, paganism, now repackaged as "neo-paganism" or wicca. Eastern mystical faiths like Buddhism and Hinduism are quite popular too. And there is a new kid on the block - militant atheism - the more extreme elements of which are VERY militant. Of course, they are mostly militant towards Christians. They SAY that is because most of them are from a Christian cultural heritage and therefore they are more familiar with what they describe as its inadequacies. But we all know the real reason is self-preservation. Muslims tend to shoot back.

Personally I'm not too unhappy with the end of Christendom. The faith has been too tied to the establishment for too long. We need to get back to being what we should have been all along - a radical community of people providing an alternative to worldly desire and motivation.

20 posted on 04/28/2014 12:32:46 AM PDT by Vanders9
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