The Church of England is moving to drop the word “church” to attract more people, according to a report from Fox News.
In a study called “New Things: A theological investigation into the work of starting new churches across 11 dioceses in the Church of England,” researchers with the Centre for Church Planting Theology and Research in Durham found that the word “church” is being used less frequently in favor of other terms.
The study analyzed 11 dioceses and how they described new church plants.
According to the study, of the more than 100 new churches planted by the dioceses in the last decade, none of them used the terms “church” or “church plant.”
“That the term ‘church’ is not used, in favour of other terms (community, congregation etc.) is worthy of theological reflection. We explore whether the question, ‘what is church?’ is worth asking,” the study said.
Some of the dioceses used the word “worship” as a means of describing the new churches, while others “community” and “congregation.”
The Church of England, however, has condemned ideas that it is “rebranding itself” to favor inclusion or progressive values.
“It is complete nonsense to suggest that the Church of England has plans to drop the word ‘church’ or that it is rebranding itself,” a Church of England spokesperson told Premier Christian News.
“This claim seems to have stemmed from a recent report from an external body looking at new initiatives mostly created by parish churches – ranging from new youth groups or sport outreaches, right up to new congregations, with some of these not meeting in a church building – and noted that they do not always refer to what is happening as new churches but are using a variety of terms,” the spokesperson said.
