14 DAY TRIAL // The Church has undoubtedly lost a lot of its importance in society over the last centuries. As science and its ideas progressed, more and more people with access to books started questioning the established dogmas. Once the state got separated from the Church, the institution's role has decreased even further. In spite of all that, it is still very popular with believers, and it is widely regarded as the keeper of good values and morals inside the society, Christians believe.
The conclusion belongs to a new study conducted by experts at the Uppsala University in Sweden, on the Church of England. The investigation was led by sociologist of religion Martha Middlemiss Le Mon, who reveals that a lot of people still turn to the Church for guidance, in addition to believing that the institution preserves and promotes the values set forth by Jesus Christ. The study has also revealed that, at a local level, the Church is more actively involved in the public good, and does more for the welfare of the community than either the authorities or the people themselves recognize.
In her investigation, Le Mon questioned both average people and authorities about their stand on the Church, and found some interesting opinions. There is, apparently, a considerable desire for the Church to become more actively involved in, for example, the healthcare and social welfare systems, which are being generally perceived as weakening. Public provision for children is also an area where people believe the institution should get even more actively engaged, while care and comfort for the elderly are also high on the public's lists, PhysOrg reports.
“The church remains an institution which stands for and protects common values in the public sphere. It stands in-between individual and society at large and is appreciated. People want it to continue to exist. This does not, however, change the declining numbers of regular worshipers and does not mean that the church is about to reclaim its former position of power in society,” the expert says. The homeless, sick, elderly and asylum seekers are the most likely individuals to appreciate it when Church representatives speak out, because they are oftentimes unable to do that for themselves.
“The question for everyone who sees value in the continued existence of the church is therefore: how long can the church as institution live up to the expectations which the study has shown exist, in an age of decreasing membership and weaker levels of affiliation to the core activities of the church?” Le Mon concludes.