The Archbishop of Canterbury has said that he regards the numerical decline in the Church of England as a personal failure.<\/p>\n
During a Q&A at the Religion Media Festival on Monday, he also spoke of his personal preference for a \u201cfully independent safeguarding system\u201d and his belief that the Church needed to be more \u201cunapologetic\u201d about its teaching on sexual morality. Asked about moves in Parliament to enable same-sex marriages to take place in church, and the possibility of disestablishment, he suggested that discerning the will of God might involve \u201crefusing to do what the law says\u201d.<\/p>\n
A recurrent theme in his answers to questions, put by the broadcast journalist Julie Etchingham and the audience, was a long view of history, and the sovereignty of God. \u201cOne of the great things we do is we get into terrible angst and fear and think it\u2019s all down to us,\u201d he observed. \u201cIt\u2019s not. It\u2019s all down to God, and to him we must be obedient.\u201d<\/p>\n
Read it all<\/a> (subscription or registration).<\/p>\n The Archbishop of Canterbury @JustinWelby<\/a> has said that he regards the numerical decline in the Church of England as a personal failure https:\/\/t.co\/YiOhdHQqD1<\/a><\/p>\n — Church Times (@ChurchTimes) June 13, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \n