Round-up: faith in print and statistics

Following on from Zoe Williams' positive Guardian piece on the church and the environment, I discover that The New Statesman has published a special God Issue. The articles includesAndrew Marr on "the roots of Britain's deep-seated distrust of fanaticism". Browsing online I discovered that the NS includes The Faith Column - a a weekly feature in which a different believer gives the inside track on their religion or philosophy.

I can remember a time when The New Statesman and The Guardian would have been unlikely to include such coverage. I wonder if this is a result of the New Labour effect - even if the previous PM didn't "do God" while in office.

Meanwhile the C of E publishes the latest figures on changing trends in church-going. There is a one per cent fall in overall attendance, but "a positive spirit of growth developing around the Church with more than half the dioceses seeing aspects of church attendance increasing". The figures also show that attendance at church services outside Sundays continues to add a significant number to local congregations.