But earlier this month The Guardian newspaper issued a legal challenge to the Act. Nationalists in Scotland have also tabled a parliamentary motion calling for it to be repealed. Critics say that, because the monarch is also the head of the Church of England, the relationship between church and state would have to change if a non-Protestant were to become sovereign. But Dr Carey said the nature of establishment was constantly changing and would continue evolving in the future. That service will go whether the Church of England disestablished or not.
Establishment is a changing thing.
It is quite different from what it was 100 years ago. There is a real argument there. Worship or shopping Dr Carey also dismissed reports that more people will be shopping than worshiping this Christmas Eve. Of course people will want to do their shopping. People want to shop but it has very little meaning if shopping is the only thing people do.