Two UK researchers, Elissaios Papyrakis and Geethanjali Selvaretnam, argue that increasing life expectancy is causing the greying of the church.
Their findings as summarized in the abstract to their article published in the International Journal of Social Economics:
The analysis reveals how increases in life expectancy encourage postponement of religious involvement, particularly in religion doctrines that do not necessarily link salvation (or afterlife benefits more broadly) to the timing of religiosity. This demonstrates that religious establishments should anticipate to attract older members, particularly in countries which have high life expectancy or expect significant increases in life expectancy, although current socio-economic benefits can counterbalance the negative impact of life expectancy on religiosity and hence encourage religious involvement.
The BBC sought the reaction of the CofE:
A spokesman for the Church of England disputed the idea that people became part of an organised religion after assessing potential “benefits”.
“People go to church because they believe in something and wish to join in with a community of people who think they same way.”
He added: “The theory doesn’t fit with the US, which has the highest church-going figures in the world.
However, church attendance and membership has been falling in the US, particularly mainstream denominations. Churches emphasizing the prosperity gospel, benefits to the here and now, have experienced growth.
Question: Taking as given the thesis that religiosity is falling because life-spans are growing, what does that say about Joe and Jane’s understanding of Christian salvation? In particular, does salvation kick in only once you’re dead?