The Church of England is irrelevant to our lives, say Britons

The Church of England is no longer relevant to the way most Britons live, according to a poll.

Almost three-quarters said the Church had little to no influence on their lives, while half said it should be disestablished.

That would mean the King would no longer be the automatic head of the Church, bishops would not sit in the House of Lords and it would have equal footing with other faiths in terms of State funding and involvement in government.

The YouGov poll raises concerns for the future of the CofE, where regular attendance has fallen for decades.

Figures for 2023 showed 170,000 fewer worshippers each week compared with 2019, falling to 685,000.

 The survey was carried out before the recent furore over the Church's cover-up of the John Smyth child abuse scandal, which forced the resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby earlier this week.

The research found that 39 per cent of the public had an unfavourable opinion of the state church. Just 32 per cent had a favourable view. 

Only one per cent of those questioned said the Church had 'a great deal of influence' over the way most people in Britain lived.

The National Secular Society said the poll showed the public was 'alienated' from the Church, adding: 'It's time to separate Church and State for good.'

Some 12 per cent said it had 'a fair amount of influence' and 53 per cent said it had 'not very much influence'.

A fifth - 20 per cent - of the 2,177 adults questioned said it had 'no influence at all'.

Attendance at CofE Sunday services fell steadily each year for several decades before churches closed during the pandemic. 

Numbers recovered as churches reopened after lockdown, but figures for 2023 showed 170,000 fewer worshippers each week compared with 2019, falling from 854,000 to 685,000.

The YouGov poll also asked if the Church should be disestablished, so it is separated from the State and no longer the nation's official faith.

It would mean the King would no longer be the automatic head of the Church, bishops would not sit in the House of Lords and it would have equal footing with other faiths in terms of State funding and involvement in Government.

Fifty percent said the Church should no longer be the established religion, compared to just 21 per cent who wanted it to remain linked to the State.

Almost two-thirds (61 percent) said CofE bishops should no longer be given seats in the House of Lords, while 14 per cent said they should stay.

More than half (55 per cent) said the Church should no longer receive State funding, with 21 per cent opposed to withdrawing funding.

More than half (58 per cent) thought the Government should not have any influence over the appointment of senior posts, including bishops.

Half of those questioned said religious leaders such as the Archbishop of Canterbury should stay out of political matters, compared to 33 per cent who said they should express their views on social and political issues.

And 39 per cent said governance of existing CofE schools should pass to local councils instead, with 29 per cent opposed.

But the nation was split on whether the King should remain the head of the CofE, with 35 per cent in favour of him remaining, 31 per cent opposed, and 34 per cent undecided.

Almost half (47 per cent) said the Church should be required to conduct same sex marriages, with 24 per cent opposed.

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Separate YouGov polling carried out the day after Justin Welby's resignation showed that almost two-thirds of Britons (62 per cent) thought he was right to resign, with only four percent saying he should have remained in place.

The National Secular Society, which campaigns for the separation of religion and State, said the YouGov figures showed the British public was 'alienated' from the Church.

Its head of campaigns Megan Manson said: 'The figures reveal a population that is alienated from the Church of England and no longer want it as part of the UK state.

'From bishops in the House of Lords to the Church's control of State schools, the public are increasingly rejecting the established church.

'The status quo is unacceptable. It is unacceptable for a Church with such little support from the general public to remain established. It's time to separate Church and State for good.'

The CofE did not respond to a request for comment.