Six in 10 Anglican churchgoers would divert their donations elsewhere if Church funds were allocated to slavery reparations, a new study has found.
The poll, conducted by Merlin Strategy among 500 practising worshippers, found overwhelming support for prioritising local parishes instead.
Some 81 per cent of respondents said Church money should benefit local congregations rather than fund slavery payouts.
When asked about spending priorities, 71 per cent favoured building repairs and maintenance, while 48 per cent supported funding regular services.
Training and recruiting parish clergy was backed by 41 per cent of those surveyed.
Only 24 per cent believed historic "injustice" reparations should take precedence.
The Church of England's Project Spire initiative proposes spending £100million over nine years to address its alleged ties to transatlantic slavery.
Disgraced ex-Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby endorsed the scheme following research into the Church's past.
Some 81 per cent of respondents said Church money should go to their local congregations rather than fund reparations
|GETTY
A report revealed that a fund established by Queen Anne in 1704 to support impoverished Anglican clergy had invested in African chattel slavery.
Mr Welby said at the time: “I am deeply sorry for the links with transatlantic chattel slavery. That some within the Church actively supported and profited from it is a source of shame.”
A report published by Policy Exchange last February described the proposed reparations scheme as “historically uninformed” and potentially lacking a sound legal basis.
Conservative MPs and peers last month urged Dame Sarah Mullally, the new Archbishop, to abandon the plan.
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Former Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby endorsed the scheme
| PAThey argued the money can legally be spent only on churches and clergy wages.
The intervention has heaped pressure on Lambeth Palace - which has been accused in the past of being "captured by woke ideology" by the Christian Concern advocacy group - to rethink the scheme.
A survey also found that 64 per cent of respondents believe the Church should not be forced to atone for historical wrongs using its funds, regardless of any past involvement.
Despite the backlash, the Church Commissioners - which oversee the Church’s finances - are pressing ahead with the £100million payouts.
Conservative MPs and peers last month urged Dame Sarah Mullally to abandon the plan
| PAA Church of England spokesman said: "A record £1.6billion is being distributed over the next three years to support the mission and ministry of the Church of England, prioritising clergy wellbeing, the funding of local parishes in the country's lowest income communities and encouraging the growth of congregations.
"The Church commissioners' commitment to supporting disadvantaged communities affected by the legacy of transatlantic chattel enslavement is the result of forensic research by leading independent experts, which evidences our historic links to this fundamental wrong.
"Recognising this past is consistent with the Church's responsibility for moral leadership."
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