Green and pagan land
The developing world’s missionaries have turned the tables on Britain
ON JUNE 15th, the Swahili Furaha Choir beat its tom-toms down the aisle of St Paul's Cathedral and ululated beneath its golden mosaic dome. Behind marched the bishops of churches from 160 nations, celebrating 300 years of Anglican mission. But the missionary business has changed since the United Society for the Propagation of the Gospel (USPG), the missionary wing of the Church of England, was set up in 1701 “to convert the heathen of all races”. With Church of England attendance dipping below a million, the converts are returning to conquer Britain. “London is today's field of mission,” says Glaucos Soares de Lima, the Anglican primate of Brazil. “It's so secular we have to send people for their salvation.”
This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “Green and pagan land”
From the June 23rd 2001 edition
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