Christian clergy in the United Kingdom are experiencing an increase in violence and verbal attacks with the rise of secularism and other changing societal factors, experts have assessed ahead of a nationwide survey.
The Sunday Telegraph pointed out that four Church of England priests have been murdered since 1997, ahead of a national survey of around 7,000 Church of England clergy to be conducted by the Royal Holloway, University of London, later in June.
The last survey of its kind in 2000 found that as many as 12 percent of all clergy had been assaulted in the previous two years.
Professor Jonathan Gabe at Royal Holloway’s School of Law said that “the declining status of clergy” could be making it easier for clergy to be attacked, along with the “increasing secularization” in British society.
Rev. David MacGeogh, the vicar of Glastonbury, shared that he receives verbal abuse on a monthly basis. He revealed that five years ago he found a witchcraft symbol sprayed onto his church’s door. During one service, he had to lock himself in a room and call the police after a man…
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