In total, 1686 responses were received with most — 1495 — sent by individuals. Of
these, the vast majority were lay people, generally regular churchgoers, PCC
members, churchwardens, and volunteers. Most raised “signi#cant concerns”,
WE require a wider purpose and a broader vision. A rethinking of cura
animarum — the cure of souls — provides a good foundation. Although it has an
ancient and archaic ring, it is a surprisingly contemporary idea. Its origins are
Roman and about authority in a particular place; but its expression comes from the
Saxon idea of the Church’s underpinning the formation of the nation, as a function
of the spiritual, moral, and material welfare of the people.
More than 400 churches have been shut down in less than a decade, The Telegraph can reveal, as senior clergy warn of the “shocking” threat to parishes as “the bedrock of the Church of England”
“In our rural deanery, we have five parishes in vacancy, and another five to become vacant soon.”
“The difficulties posed by the coronavirus crisis have exposed many fault lines and weaknesses in organisations around the country — and the Church of England is no exception.”