Fracking – “Threat to God’s creation”; Progress on Diocese of West Yorkshire; Cathedral statistics 2012
Fracking – “Threat to God’s creation”
ITV News – The Church of England in Lancashire has questioned whether fracking risks damaging God’s creation for future generations.
Natural gas extraction “is increasingly presenting people with a choice between economic gain and a healthy environment”, the Anglican diocese of Blackburn said.
Headlined “Fracking – opportunity or challenge?”, the document released on its website sets out for parishioners the arguments over the controversial practice in an area that has already been the site of test drilling.
It claims that talk of the money to be made “has lured landowners to sign or contemplate signing leases to drill on their land”.
“A relatively new technique to extract natural gas from previously unreachable depths is prompting a rush to drill, despite virtually no history as to its environmental impact,” the document says.
“Any consideration of the pros & cons of an issue like ‘fracking’ has to be viewed in the context of global climate change, which itself cannot be ignored by Christians, as it raises questions of justice, fairness, provision, stewardship and love for God, His Creation and His Creatures, including our global human neighbours.”
It adds: “The time we spend thinking, praying and acting now to protect our drinking water,and the rest of God’s glorious Creation cannot compare with the time succeeding generations could potentially spend trying to make good what will likely happen if we in the church remain uninformed and silent.”
Lancashire has been identified as one of the areas of Britain with most potential for hydraulic fracturing, which involves using water and chemicals to break up rocks deep underground.
A recent report suggested there may be 1,300 trillion cubic feet of shale gas present.
The UK’s first fracking was undertaken by Cuadrilla in west Lancashire but was suspended after two minor tremors in the Blackpool area, which is part of the diocese.
Recent test drilling in Balcombe, West Sussex, was met with protests by local people and environmentalists.
Prime Minister David Cameron said last week that Britain would be “making a big mistake” if it did not seriously consider it commercially, with the prospect of cheaper gas prices.
Speaking during a visit to Lancashire, he said the country is “missing out big time at the moment”, comparing the number of shale gas wells dug in the European Union with the number in the United States.
The diocese information highlights the concerns over the way the process could impact on water supplies and whether the toxic chemicals used in the process could get into drinking water.
It adds: “On a more localised basis, gas companies claim that drilling brings economic benefits, including increased employment.
“This premise is alluring to many landowners, including local farmers who may be struggling to make their land profitable. It has lured landowners to sign or contemplate signing leases to drill on their land.
“This is one way they can retain their land and make money, and money in today’s world seems to count for more than environmental stability.”
Progress on Diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales
The Diocese of Bradford has announced: ‘Roadmap’ for New Diocese. The Archbishop of York has produced a timetable of key dates for the new diocese of West Yorkshire and the Dales, in which he has announced that the ‘Appointed Day’ will be Easter 2014.
The Appointed Day is when the three Dioceses cease to exist and the new Diocese comes into being, and when the three Diocesan Bishops depart. While arrangements will be put in place to allow us to operate consistently during the transitional period, the Appointed Day itself will not bring any instant changes; these will be gradual over a period of about a year.
Bishop Nick says, “It is good to have a clear road map for all that has to happen between now and the creation of the new diocese. I am confident that this gives the existing dioceses time to prepare properly, but also that there is a clear process for setting up this new and exciting venture. We will need to be both diligent and patient as we now proceed in the months ahead.”
It’s expected that the name of the new Diocesan Bishop will be announced in February and there will be an Acting Bishop between the Appointed Day and the new Bishop taking up his post – probably in the summer.
The Crown Appointments Commission has announced meeting dates for this appointment, 12 November and 9/10 January.
Cathedral statistics 2012
The Church of England released Cathedral Statistics 2012 this week and this press release, “Growing decade for cathedral congregations, show latest stats” –
The number of worshippers at Church of England cathedrals increased in 2012, continuing the growing trend seen since the Millennium. Total weekly attendance at the 43* cathedrals grew to 35,800, according to Cathedral Statistics 2012, an increase of 35% since 2002.
Along with occasional and special services, the regular worshipping life of cathedrals has proved more popular than ever over the past decade with cathedrals pointing to stronger community links attracting more people (see case studies below).
Easter 2012 saw the highest attendance in the last decade, at 54,700. Attendance at midweek services has grown most, from 8,900 in 2002 to 16,800, while Sunday attendance has grown from 17,500 to 19,100.
The numbers of children and young people attending educational events is the highest for 10 years (306,800 in 2012 compared to 265,100 in 2002).
The number of volunteers serving cathedrals continued to rise, reaching 15,570, 30% up on the 11,930 in 2002. Between them, they fulfil a range of 860 voluntary roles across the country.
Other regular services, run at least once a month, attracted a further 1,639,300 worshippers. Around one million attended more than 5000 public/civil events in the cathedrals, down from a peak in 2010 but still nearly twice as many as in 2002. 2,900 specially arranged services, such as annual festivals and school leavers’ services attracted a further 930,000.
Dr Bev Botting, Head of Research and Statistics for the Archbishops’ Council said: “Cathedrals continue to flourish as worshipping communities while offering a valuable insight into our nation’s heritage. The statistics show people of all ages are increasingly drawn to cathedrals for worship, to attend educational and civic events, and to volunteer to ensure our cathedrals are open to all those who are drawn to visit and worship in these wonderful buildings”
*There are 43 cathedrals in the Church of England, 44 including the Cathedral Church of Holy Trinity, Gibraltar in the Diocese in Europe