The Church of England is one of the great institutions of the nation: closely enmeshed in its history, its politics and, above all, its religious beliefs. Could this precious resource be in decline? Falling numbers, particularly since the 1960s has made this become an urgent question. Accepting this, the Church has embarked upon extensive reforms to try to stem the loss of members.

A clear and wide-ranging account of the history and development of the Church of England, is followed by a survey of the issues and opportunities the church faces in the 21st century. This came out at the turn of the century and has been updated by Wesley Carr, former Dean of Westminster, for the 2006 edition.