In April 2025 Bible Society published a report, The Quiet Revival, based on YouGov polling, which claimed that church going in Britain had increased from 8% of the population to 12% between 2018 and 2024. The report was subject to criticism, for example by the Pew Research Center.
But now Bible Society has issued a statement to say that “Earlier this month YouGov informed Bible Society that the 2024 survey sample on which our report The Quiet Revival was based was faulty, and it can no longer be regarded as a reliable source of information about the spiritual landscape in Britain.” The original report has been taken down from Bible Society’s website, although the society appear to be very reluctant to accept that there might not have been a “Quiet Revival”.
There is also this report from YouGov: Conclusions of investigation into 2024 Bible Society study.
I can recommend the following comments and press report.
Tim Wyatt The Critical Friend I told you so
Jennifer Stirrup The Bible Society and Garbage In, Gospel Out: Why Data Due Diligence Can’t Be Outsourced.
James Macintyre Church Times Bible Society says its Quiet Revival report was based on a ‘faulty’ survey
11 CommentsPeter Sherlock profsherlock Sarah, Archbishop of Canterbury
Mark Clavier Well-Tempered
The Prime Minister’s Office issued the press release below this morning. There are more details on the Liverpool diocesan website.
The King has approved the nomination of The Very Reverend Simon Joseph Robinson, BA, to the Suffragan See of Warrington, in the Diocese of Liverpool.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 27 March 2026
The King has approved the nomination of The Very Reverend Simon Joseph Robinson, BA Hons, Dean of Truro Cathedral and Rector of St. Mary’s Truro, to the Suffragan See of Warrington, in the Diocese of Liverpool, in succession to the Right Reverend Beverley Mason, BA, following her resignation.
Background
Simon was educated at Warwick University and trained for ministry on the Southern Theological Education and Training Scheme. He served his title at St. Peter’s, Freshford, St Mary’s, Limpley Stoke and St John’s, Hinton Charterhouse in the Diocese of Bath and Wells, and was ordained priest in 2013. Simon was appointed Vicar of the Parish of Minehead in 2015.
From 2022, Simon served as Interim Dean and Canon Missioner at Truro Cathedral and was appointed to his current roles of Dean of Truro Cathedral and Rector of St. Mary’s in 2024.
17 CommentsThe installation of Sarah Mullally as the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury will take place in Canterbury Cathedral on Wednesday 25 March, starting at 3.00 pm. The service will be broadcast on BBC1 from 2:30pm, and live-streamed on YouTube. You can download the order of service to follow the proceedings.
Here are some previews.
The Church of England Watch the Installation of the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury, Sarah Mullally, at Canterbury Cathedral
Diocese of Canterbury Installation of the 106th Archbishop of Canterbury
Church Times Mullally prepares for installation in Canterbury Cathedral
The Saint John’s Bible First Female Archbishop of Canterbury to be Sworn in with Modern Bible, The Saint John’s Bible Heritage Edition
105 CommentsThe Very Revd Jonathan Greener, Dean of Exeter, has announced that he is to retire in July 2026. He has been the dean since 2017, and before that he was Dean of Wakefield from 2007 to 2017.
16 CommentsThe Prime Minister’s Office issued the press release below this morning. There is more information on the St Albans diocesan website.
Appointment of Bishop of St Albans: 19 March 2026
The King has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Dr. Andrew Paul Rumsey, for election as Bishop of St. Albans
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 19 March 2026
The King has approved the nomination of The Right Reverend Dr. Andrew Paul Rumsey, Suffragan Bishop of Ramsbury in the Diocese of Salisbury, for election as Bishop of St. Albans, in succession to The Right Reverend Alan Smith, following his retirement.
Background
Andrew was born and raised in the Diocese of St Albans, where his father served as a parish priest. He was educated at the University of Reading and Kings College, London, and trained for ordination at Ridley Hall, Cambridge. He served his title at Trinity St. Michael, Harrow, in the Diocese of London, and was ordained priest in 1998.
Andrew served as Vicar of Christ Church, Gipsy Hill, in the Diocese of Southwark, from 2001 and was appointed Rector of Oxted & Tandridge (later Team Rector of Oxted) in 2011.
In 2019, Andrew took up his current role as Bishop of Ramsbury, in the Diocese of Salisbury. He is also lead bishop for church buildings.
Andrew is a singer-songwriter and the author of Parish: An Anglican theology of place (Books, 21 July 2017) and English Grounds: A pastoral journal (Books, 11 March 2022).
31 CommentsColin Coward Unadulterated Love Mapping God: When everything is taken literally, meaning itself can swiftly start to unravel
Michelle Burns Guarding the Flock Persistent. Vexatious. Or Simply Uncomfortable?
Martyn Percy Bullying Institutions and the Church: Some Remarks
Lorraine Cavanagh On Forgiving The Church
26 CommentsLucy Sixsmith ViaMedia.News When the Music Fades: the Soul Survivor Generation
Mark Clavier Well-Tempered Formed for Faithfulness (9): Learning to Pray Again
Martin Sewell Surviving Church Persistent and Vexatious – Pursuing Justice in the Church of England
Gerry Lynch The Critic Schrödinger’s schism
83 CommentsThe Bangor Diocesan Board of Finance and the Bangor Diocesan Trust published the findings of an independent governance review on 6 March. There is a press release here, and the report itself is here. The Church Times published an article on the report under the title Weak financial controls and ‘disempowered’ trustees were background to Bangor débâcle, review says.
6 CommentsThe Prime Minister’s Office issued the press release below this morning. There is more information on the Carlisle diocesan website.
Appointment of the Suffragan Bishop of Penrith: 11th March 2026
The King has approved the nomination of The Reverend Canon Dr Michael John Leyden, BA, MA, MSt, PhD, to the Suffragan See of Penrith, in the Diocese of Carlisle.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 11 March 2026
The King has approved the nomination of The Reverend Canon Dr Michael John Leyden BA, MA, MSt, PhD, Dean and CEO of Emmanuel Theological College, to the Suffragan See of Penrith, in the Diocese of Carlisle, in succession to the Right Reverend Robert James Saner-Haigh, MA, MPhil, following his translation to the See of Carlisle.
Michael grew up in Merseyside and was educated at Oxford University and Chester University and trained for ministry at St John’s College, Nottingham. He served his title at St Ann’s, Rainhill, in the Diocese of Liverpool. Following a secondment to St Mellitus College, North-West, Michael was appointed half-time Incumbent of the Benefice of Weston with Shavington in 2014, in the Diocese of Chester, alongside working half-time as Lead Academic Tutor at St Mellitus College. In 2018, Michael was appointed full-time Director of St Mellitus College, North-West, and in 2019 he was licensed as Associate Priest of St Peter’s, Chester.
In 2021, Michael took up his current role as Dean and CEO of Emmanuel Theological College.
16 CommentsThe Prime Minister’s Office issued the press release below this morning. There is more information on the Truro diocesan website.
Suffragan Bishop of St. Germans: 9 March 2026
The King has approved the nomination of The Reverend James Treasure BSc, to the Suffragan See of St. Germans, in the Diocese of Truro.
From: Prime Minister’s Office, 10 Downing Street
Published 9 March 2026
The King has approved the nomination of The Reverend James Treasure BSc, Vicar and Resource Church Leader at St. Thomas and St. Luke’s and Team Rector for Dudley, in the Diocese of Worcester, for appointment as Suffragan Bishop of St. Germans in the Diocese of Truro, in succession to The Right Reverend Hugh Edmund Nelson BA, following his translation to the See of Worcester.
Background
James was educated at the Roehampton Institute, University of Surrey. He trained for ministry at Ripon College, Cuddesdon and served his title in the Kidderminster West Team Ministry, in the Diocese of Worcester. He was ordained Priest in 2017 and was previously a leader in a free church before his move back to the Church of England. He brings with him a wealth of experience in community engagement and growing congregations.
From 2018, James served as Vicar and Resource Church Leader at St. Thomas and St. Luke’s (commonly known as “Top Church”) in Dudley. In this capacity, he spearheaded a major redevelopment and mission project, supported by significant grant funding, to revitalise the historic Grade II* listed building and expand its community outreach.
In 2023, James was also appointed Team Rector for the wider Dudley parish. In this role, he maintained responsibility for four additional churches while continuing his leadership at St. Thomas and St. Luke’s.
49 CommentsTheo Hobson Liberal Anglicans must focus
[also in The Spectator The real problem facing Church of England liberals]
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Felicity Cooke ViaMedia.News All About LLF: the February Synod Debate
26 CommentsThe Bishop of Manchester, the Rt Revd Dr David Walker, has announced that he will retire in the summer of 2027. He has been given a short extension in office beyond his 70th birthday, and the see will become vacant as from 31 July 2027.
41 CommentsColin Coward Unadulterated Love Time to redraw our God-map
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26 CommentsMark Clavier Well-Tempered Formed for Faithfulness (7): Learning to Worship Again
Sally Hope Church Times Online misogyny has no place in the Church
Michelle Burns Guarding the Flock One of the Lads: Auditing the Boys in Church of England Safeguarding
37 CommentsThe Archbishop of Wales issued the message below to the diocese of Bangor on 20 February 2026. I wrote about the proposal to appoint an interim bishop here and here.
Interim Bishop of Bangor: Message from the Archbishop of Wales
Dear friends,
Today, we have held interviews of an Interim Bishop of Bangor. I am very grateful for all those, from the diocese and the province, who have been involved in this discernment process.
Any process of discernment has to be open to an outcome that it is not right to proceed in the way we hoped. This is what has happened on this occasion and so we will not be proceeding with the appointment of an interim bishop.
Instead, I am going to ask the Governing Body’s Standing Committee to recommence the electoral college process.
The diocese remains in my prayers.
Archbishop Cherry
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17 CommentsThe electronic voting results from this month’s meeting of General Synod are now available online. These contain the names of voting members and how they voted.
The full text of motions can be found in the official record of Business Done.
Mark Clavier Well-Tempered Formation in Faith (6): Learning to See Again
Stephen Parsons Surviving Church The Financial and Reputational Cost to the Church of England of Safeguarding Scandals
2 CommentsUpdated Monday 23 February
The Diocese of Lincoln published the statement below today, 20 February”
Diocesan Statement Regarding the Status of The Bishop of Lincoln
20th February, 2026The Bishop of Lincoln, The Rt Revd Stephen Conway, has been suspended from ministry while a complaint made to the National Safeguarding Team is responded to according to House of Bishops Code of Practice. This includes referral to the appropriate statutory authorities.
The Bishop of Grantham, The Rt Revd Dr Nicholas Chamberlain, will be performing the function of the Diocesan Bishop during this period.
Support is in place for those affected and there will be no further comment while the process is ongoing.
We understand that this will be a deeply unsettling time. The Diocesan Safeguarding Team is available for anyone who wishes to contact them. They can be contacted via email: safeguarding@lincoln.anglican.org or by phone: 01522 504070.
Alternatively, Safe Spaces is an independent and confidential support advocacy service. Contact their free helpline: 0300 303 1056.
And there is also support from ThirtyOneEight, a safeguarding support line. Their number is 0303 003 1111.
The BBC has subsequently reported that the bishop has been arrested on suspicion of sexual assault.
Update Monday 23 February
24 Comments