Church closure and membership statistics: a Methodist perspective

Abstract

The present day weakness of churches in England is displayed not only in the decline of church attendances and affiliation, but also in the closure of church buildings. In a recent issue of Rural Theology Carol Roberts and Leslie J Francis have examined the incidence of church closure as it affects the rural churches of the Church of England over the period 1970 to 2000. This article is a Methodist response, examining from available statistics the decline in membership related to church closure in British Methodism over the same period. Using data from a single Methodist District, a comparison is made with church closures in four Anglican rural dioceses.