As part of a series of comments leading up the Anglican Church of Canada's General Synod 2007, Archdeacon Jim Boyles provides background information on the governance review begun in 2004.  Why yet another review of ACC governance?  The first of several factors listed is disappearing Anglicans.

A significant decline in Anglican population.

In 1971, over 30 years ago there were 2,543,000 Anglicans according the Canadian Census. In 2001, there were 2,036,000, a decrease of 20%.
In 1971 there were 1,109,000 members on parish rolls. In 2001 there were 641,845, a decrease of 42%.
In 1969 there were 253,000 identifiable givers. In 1999 there were 227,000, a decrease of 10%.

In the past 35 years the numbers have fallen, but there has been little change in the governing structures of the church, both at the national level and in dioceses. In fact, in many parishes, in dioceses and at General Synod, volunteer and professional time spent in governance tasks means that front-line ministry and mission work is weaker than it could be.

There are more active bishops now than in 1971, and there are more members of General Synod now than in 1971.

First of all, Census counts do not provide pertinent information in this context.  In a previous discussion of ACC decline, I wrote:

The ACC has failed to attract the children and grandchildren of older Anglicans. Given that many of these potential younger Anglicans were, in all probability, baptised in the ACC, one might say they have voted with their feet: they walked away from the Anglican Church of Canada. That scenario would also account for the fact that over 2 million Canadians identify themselves as Anglican to the Census. As infants, they were baptised Anglican and may have attended for several years, but as adults they have had little or no contact with the church.

The most recent figures for members and givers refer to 2001—six years ago—and haven't been updated since 2005.  It also seems odd that no counts are cited for bishops or GS members.  When is the ACC going to hire a statistician?

Let's see:  Relying on six-year-old numbers, General Synod will receive "an initial response" from a governance committee that's been at work for almost three years with a view to initiating a church-wide "conversation" that will be hashed out further at General Synod 2010.  I hope the church survives that long.

I can't help thinking that, if the ACC were a private business organisation, it would have either gone broke or been the object of a hostile takeover years ago.

I also can't help thinking it's a shame that the ACC is faced with severe budget cuts and downsizing its governance structure in order to stay afloat.  Here's a suggestion from a humble pew warmer: Why not try a renewed emphasis on preaching the unvarnished gospel of Christ?  It seems to have facilitated church growth in the past.

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