What is the disestablishment of the church of england?

Disestablishment of the Church of England would mean ending its status as the official state church of England. Today the monarch is its Supreme Governor, 26 bishops sit in the House of Lords and Parliament approves its laws. Disestablishment would separate church and state, as happened in Wales in 1920.

The Church of England became the established church after Henry VIII broke with Rome in the 1530s. The monarch must be in communion with it and promises to uphold it at the coronation. The Prime Minister plays a formal role in appointing senior bishops. Church laws, called Measures, are approved by Parliament. Bishops also lead state occasions such as coronations and royal funerals.

The Church of England is established only in England. The Church in Wales was disestablished in 1920, and the Church of Ireland in 1871. The Church of Scotland is a national church but is independent of the state. The 26 Lords Spiritual make the UK one of very few democracies with clergy sitting automatically in the legislature. These ties run very deep.

Supporters of disestablishment argue that a diverse country, where most people are not Anglican, should not have an official church. They say bishops should not sit in Parliament by right. Opponents argue establishment gives the nation a spiritual dimension, supports other faiths' public role and helps the Church serve every parish. Some in the Church itself favour disestablishment. Census figures showing fewer Christians have revived the issue.