Church Split Evident as Clergy Admit Doubts over Existence of God

By Maria Mackay, Christian Today Reporter Monday, July 04, 2005

A report published today has revealed that hundreds within the Church of England clergy do not believe in God and that not even two thirds believe in miracles.

The results of the 180-paged report, entitled Fragmented Faith, come on the eve of the General Synod and shows that a higher proportion of the laity still hold onto traditional church values.

According to the report, in which over 9,000 took part, one in 33 clerics doubts the existence of God, meaning that within the 9,000 strong clergy, there could be as many as 300 Church of England clergy who are not entirely convinced of the existence of God. This is compared to the 97% of lay members who still testify the existence of God.

There are other signs of a possible schism between a rather conservative-looking laity vis a vis a liberalising clergy. While 62% of the laity believe in the Virgin Birth compared with only 60% of the clergy, only 60% of the clergy believe that Jesus turned water into wine, 5% less than the laity.

Lay members are far more anchored in the traditional teaching of the Scriptures with regards to homosexuality also; this issue revealing the greatest split. Whilst one third of the clergy support the ordination of homosexuals as priests, only one quarter of the laity thought the same. Similarly, nearly one third of all clergy members support gay bishops within the Church, a massive number compared to those of the laity who hold the same view, less than one fifth.

The clergy were also more liberal when it came to sex between two people of the same gender, with 56% of the laity believing it to be wrong compared to only 48% of clergy, indicating that the issue is far from laid to rest.

The study, conducted by Leslie Francis, Mandy Robbins and Jeff Astley of Bangor University, commented on the results, "Overall, it is the faultline between the clergy and the committed laity on the issue of homosexuality which may take the Church of England most by surprise."

The study also hinted that, the Bishop of Oxford, the Rt Rev Richard Harries, might have reconsidered his "courageous experiment" in 2003, in which he recommended a celibate homosexual to be Bishop of Reading. The move was, however, opposed and Dr Jeffrey John posted instead as Dean of St Albans.

The report suggests testing times ahead for the Church of England. Dr Francis said, the divisions "reflect clearly identifiable faultlines in the very structure and composition of the Church."