Impact of Covid-19 on Fragile Churches: Is the Rural Situation Really Different?

Abstract

In a series of earlier papers in Rural Theology, drawing on qualitative research, Anne Lawson has advanced and documented the fragile rural church thesis. The present study draws on data from 745 full-time parochial clergy serving in the Church of England who responded to the Coronavirus, Church & You Survey to test two objections to Lawson's thesis. The first objection is that the qualitative research has not demonstrated the extent of the fragile church thesis among rural clergy. The new data show that one in three rural clergy endorse the thesis. The second objection is that the qualitative research has not demonstrated that the thesis is specific to rural ministry. The new data show that, although the fragile church thesis is not limited to rural ministry, it is more in evidence within rural areas.