Anglican Communion News Service

By John Bingham, The Telegraph

Justin Welby, the Bishop of Durham, said the financial crisis and a series of scandals had “toppled the idols” on which British society had been based for decades but could open up the way for a wider return to Christianity.

He said the current mood in the country offered the Church its “greatest moment of opportunity since the Second World War”.

His comments, days before he formally takes over as Archbishop, herald a shift in the direction of the Church of England, with a more explicit drive to win converts rather than being perceived as simply managing decline.

Speaking to an evangelical audience in Nottingham, he said Christians should be unashamed to talk openly about their faith. He said the Church should “grasp the opportunity” presented by an expanding social role, through running schools and initiatives such as food banks, to spread the Christian message.

Read the rest at http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/9839866/The-Church-must-fill-void-left-by-failing-state-says-new-archbishop-Justin-Welby.html

Related News Entries

• Video/audio: Interview with Abp of Canterbury-elect and his wife (February 1, 2013)