Church schools should be more active in spreading the message of Christianity, a leading Church of England bishop has said.
As the church faces suspicion and attack from parts of society, Christian schools need to develop their "spiritual core" said the Church of England's head of education.
The Rt Rev John Pritchard, Bishop of Oxford told the General Synod meeting that Church of England schools should be "rooted" in the story of Jesus Christ.
He said Church schools were under suspicion and attack in "many corners" of society.
"The pressure is on and our response must not be defensive, but confidently on the front foot," he told the gathering at York University.
"We have so much to offer. In an age of creeping scepticism about religion we need to have confidence that we have the greatest story ever lived, one with never-ending relevance to every human life."
The Rt Rev Pritchard was speaking in a presentation to the General Synod on the Church School of the Future report published earlier this year.
The report outlines how the Church of England expects to create 200 more schools over the next five years.
The Rt Rev Pritchard said: "I want to convince you that if we miss the importance of this report, the Christian story will continue to slide out of cultural memory.
"But if we seize the moment, we could be embedding that story in the life of the nation in a way we haven't been able to do for decades."
The Church of England (CofE) is responsible for more than 4,800 primary and secondary schools, educating more than a million pupils.