“Ruthless” action to make the Church of England fit for the 21st century should include a reduction in the number of dioceses and diocesan bishops to 30, cuts to diocesan staff, and giving deaneries control of budgets and clergy-deployment decisions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The recommendations are set out in a new report, Wasted Money in a Diminishing Church<\/em>, which says that \u201cradical thinking\u201d is necessary to interrupt a cycle of decline which has left many parishioners and clergy \u201cdeeply dispirited\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cWe want to break this silence because we are convinced that the Church of England is heading for financial disaster<\/a>,\u201d write the authors, Canon Robin Gill and Professor John Craven. \u201cMore and more of its funds are being spent on administration in every diocese while churchgoing continues to decline, and less and less is spent on supporting parish clergy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cAs clergy are spread ever more thinly in urban and rural areas, services are less frequent, congregations are getting smaller, and less money can be raised in church collections from people who wonder what they are getting for their money.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Read it all<\/a>.<\/p> 📉💷 \u2018Ruthless\u2019 action to make the C of E fit for the 21st century should include a reduction in the number of dioceses and diocesan bishops to 30, cuts to diocesan staff, and giving deaneries control of budgets and clergy-deployment decisions. #ChurchNews https:\/\/t.co\/TRh52PAPhq<\/p>— Church Times (@ChurchTimes) October 21, 2026<\/a><\/blockquote>\n