Sir, Your correspondents (January 22) seem to labour under the impression that, if they get the formula right, the outward surge of people from the churches will be somehow reversed. Many conservatives argue that these deserters would respond better if there were a stronger moral steer (or, more plainly, more authoritarianism) while liberals demand more inclusivity (that is, a rewriting of the Bible). Some think that it is because the services are dry and boring and could be made more interesting with various additions, while others assert that the theatricality of the traditional smells and bells approach is what the punters are really after.

None has considered the most likely explanation for their empty churches: that people don’t believe it any more. And no amount of tinkering round the edges is going to tempt them back. Once the genie of unbelief is out of the bottle, it won’t be forced in again.

Yours faithfully,
TERRY SANDERSON,
Vice-President,
The National Secular Society,
25 Red Lion Square, WC1R 4LR.
tas@secularism.org.uk
January 22.

From Canon Michael Saward

Sir, Two of your correspondents support the myth that “a house-going parson makes a church-going people”. This may be the case in some rural communities but it certainly isn’t, in my experience, in urban and suburban parts. These days, with large numbers of women working, few people are at home during the day, least of all men, and clergy are rightly committed to the many evening activities in their churches, most of which are essential to the developing life of their congregations.

I recall being part of a lay and clerical team in one town parish, 45 years ago, which visited 1,100 homes in a concentrated attempt to reach people. Despite this, not a single person visited came to church and some of the lay team were deeply shaken, having assumed that their efforts would rapidly lead to an influx on Sundays.

Knocking at empty houses was hardly the way that the Christian faith was taken around the world in its historic development and today, in towns and cities, it is often a culpable waste of time.

Yours faithfully,
MICHAEL SAWARD,
6 Discovery Walk,
London E1W 2JG.
January 22.

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