LONDON, Dec. 19 A survey finds that there are more Pentecostal Christians in England than Methodists.
Dr. David Voas of Manchester University suggested that the Methodist Church, founded in England 300 years ago by Charles Wesley in a split from the Church of England, may end up being reabsorbed by the Anglicans.
Pentacostalism, which was founded in the United States, has spread to South America and Africa. Most Pentacostals in England are African immigrants.
Estimated Sunday attendance at Methodist churches dropped from 289,400 in 2005 to 278,700 in 2006, the Economic and Social Research Council says. That means the denomination ranks fourth behind Catholics, Anglicans and Pentacostals.
Voas said that in the mid-19th century about half of the English were regular churchgoers and one-quarter of those were Methodists. Now, only one in 16 goes to church regularly and one in 10 of those are Methodists.
Copyright 2006 by UPI
