Perhaps what I wrote wasn't clear. I suggested that new immigrants are more likely than others to have a religion.…
Dear Mette Thanks very much for your observation, which I have posted online. Unfortunately, we have had no national censuses…
Net migration to the UK has added at least two million people over the past decade, most of whom will…
I have read a 10 year old article about the positive effect of immigrant communities on Church attendance in the…
Eddie You can email them to c.d.field@bham.ac.uk Best wishes. Clive
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3 responses to “Trends in Anglican Confirmations, 1872-2009”
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Preparation of children to receive Holy Communion (i.e. without Confirmation)was introduced, I think,in the 1990s. This would be the equivalent to First Communion for Roman Catholics, and probably at a similar age, 7 upwards. Each Diocese could decide whether to allow this; but once a child has been admitted, s/he should be offered communion in any Church of England church regardless of diocesan policy.
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Thank you for this. It’s very interesting! I found the following material at the Diocese of Oxford website:
‘The General Synod and the House of Bishops have debated the question of children receiving holy communion before confirmation over many years. In the General Synod of November 1996 the House of Bishops agreed a position and a set of guidelines were issued.
‘The bishops and senior staff of this Diocese believe that these guidelines represent both good pastoral practice and a sound theological position and warmly commend them for consideration in the parishes.
‘Individual parishes wishing to admit children to communion before confirmation must seek the agreement of their area bishop. He will want to satisfy himself that the application has the full support of the incumbent and the PCC. Any application will need to show evidence of careful consideration of the issues and include a clear commitment to a serious and continuing catechetical education for the children, leading to confirmation in due course….
‘Note that no baptised person, child or adult, who has been admitted to holy communion should be deprived of it when, for example, visiting another parish or after moving to a new area’.
The provisional Statistics for Mission at Church of England website does not provide data on receptions into holy communion other than via confirmation – I will look into whether such data are collected.
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Quote: ‘Note that no baptised person, child or adult, who has been admitted to holy communion should be deprived of it when, for example, visiting another parish or after moving to a new area.’
Well I found this interesting as my husband who is baptised and who made a commitment to give his life to Jesus over 23 years ago, has attended bible studies in the past and we study the bible together each day, asked at our local Anglican church about being confirmed in the C of E. Not only was he told it could take ‘up to a year’ but that he should not take Holy Communion during that time but go up for a blessing. This was very upsetting to hear – my husband and I have gone to the Lord’s table together for over 20 years and now he is being asked to stop. Needless to say we have given up on the idea of him being confirmed and now go to a large central city cathedral and take communion there.
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