Canterbury Tattle-Tales

England hardly qualifies as a churchgoing nation. More than 80% of its citizens never attend a religious service other than the odd wedding or funeral, according to London's Christian Research organization.

Meanwhile the established, or state, Church of England, which counts half the population as baptized members, attracts only about 3% to regular weekly or monthly services. Empty churches, dwindling attendance: it looks like a church in serious decline. So the media interest over the early retirement of Archbishop of Canterbury George Carey, 66, and the intense speculation about his successor surprised many churchmen. Says former Archdeacon of York...