|
|
|
Muslims are set to outnumber Anglican Christians in Britain by the year 2002
throwing into question the UK's claim to be a Christian country, according to a
new study by a London-based research charity.
The Christian Research Association found that with up to 100 new mosques planned
here, there will be 4,000 more regular Islamic worshippers than Christians going
to Church of England services by the turn of the century.
Currently, there are 536,000 practising Muslims as compared to 854,000
churchgoers. But trends over the last decade indicate that Muslims are now within
close reach of re-altering the position drastically.
More than 32,000 Muslims joined mosques every year between 1992 and 1994; by
contrast, the number of Anglican worshippers decreased by 14,000 each year.
Dr Peter Brierly, executive director of the CRA, puts it down to the vitality of
Islam and the new found confidence of younger Muslims with the Islamic identity.
"The Muslim community is much more aware of its religion and the use that religion
plays within the community," he said in an interview with a British newspaper.
The fallout from the resurgence of Islam has been a steadily rising wave of
"Islamaphobia" in Britain, according to experts. The Runnymede Trust, an
independent think tank which examines race relations, warned in a recent
publication that Muslims were being "demonised" as a result of their religious
beliefs. Meanwhile, the British clergy appears at a loss to tackle criticism that
it is losing out in the religious sweepstakes. Some clerics have been advocating a
positive approach, as evidenced in the modern "Having a bad hair day?" advertising
campaign by the church to woo younger churchgoers back to their faith. Many, such
as the Rt. Rev. Roger Sainsbury, Bishop of Barking, have even called on church
leaders to learn valuable lessons from Islam's, appeal.
Other's, however, like George Carey, the Archbishop of Canterbury, have sounded
warning notes, saying that the West has too readily discounted the threat of a
conflict with Islam.
Discontent has been simmering for some time now, occasionally breaking the surface
as witnessed last month when several university colleges closed ranks to stymie
plans to build an Islamic centre in Oxford, complete with a 75-foot dome.
 |
||
|
||
|
||
