Main religious preferences of Americans

 Christianity: (82.3%[9])
 Unaffiliated, including atheist or agnostic (11.6%[9])
 Judaism (1.2%[3] to 2.2%[9])
 Islam (0.6%[9][3] to 1.6%)
 Buddhism (0.5%[3] to 0.9%)
 Hinduism (0.4%)
 other (1.4%)

Christianity

The largest religion in the US is Christianity, practiced by the majority of the population (76%
in 2008[3]). From those queried, roughly 51.3% of Americans are Protestants, 25% are
Catholics, and 1.7% are Mormons (the name commonly used to refer to members of The
Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints), and 1.6% to various other Christian
denominations.[10] Christianity was introduced during the period of European colonization.

By the 2010 Yearbook of American and Canadian Churches, from which members in the
United States are combined with Canadian members, and of the National Council of
Churches, the five largest denominations are[11]:

 The Catholic Church, 68,115,001 members

 The Southern Baptist Convention, 16,228,438 members
 The United Methodist Church, 7,853,987 members
 The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 5,974,041 members
 The Church of God in Christ, 5,499,875 members

Due to its large population and history, the United States has numerically more Christians
(and more Protestants) than any other country in the world. Other countries, however, have
higher percentages of Christians (and of Protestants) within their total populations.

The Hispanics/Latinos, Irish, Highland Scots, Italians, Dutch, Flemish, Polish, French,
Spanish, Hungarians, German, and Lebanese brought Catholicism, while Northern European
peoples introduced Protestantism. Among Protestants, adherents to Anglicanism, Baptism,
Calvinism, Puritanism, Presbyterianism, Lutheranism, Quakerism, Amish, Methodism and
Moravian Church were the first to settle to the US, spreading their faith in the new country.

Greek, Ukrainian, Russian, Central and Eastern European, Middle Eastern, Ethiopian, and
South Indian immigrants brought Eastern Orthodoxy and Oriental Orthodoxy to the United
States. These branches of Christianity have since spread beyond the boundaries of ethnic
immigrant communities and now include multi-ethnic membership and parishes.

Since then, American Christians developed in their own path. During the Great Awakenings
interdenominational evangelicalism and Pentecostalism emerged, along with new Protestant
denominations such as Adventism, and non-Protestant movements such as the Restoration
Movement (which over time separated into the Churches of Christ, the Independent Christian
Churches/Churches of Christ, and the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ)), the Watchtower
Bible and Tract Society, commonly referred to as Jehovah's Witnesses, and The Church of
Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also commonly referred to as Mormonism.

Today, with 16.6 million adherents (5.3% of the total population), Southern Baptist is the
largest of more than 200[13] distinctly named Protestant denominations.[14] Of the total
population, Evangelicals comprise 26.3%, and Mainline Protestants 16%.[15]

The strength of various sects varies greatly in different regions of the country, with rural parts
of the South (except Louisiana and the Gulf Coast, and the Hispanic community, which both
consist mainly of Catholics), having many evangelicals but very few Catholics, while
urbanized areas of the north Atlantic states and Great Lakes, as well as many industrial and
mining towns, are heavily Catholic, though still quite mixed, especially due to the heavily
Protestant African-American communities. As of 1990, nearly 72% of the population of Utah
was Mormon, as well as 26% of neighboring Idaho.[16] Lutheranism is most prominent in the
Upper Midwest, with North Dakota having the highest percentage, 35% according to a 2001
survey.[17]

Despite its status as the most widespread and influential religion in the US, Christianity is
undergoing a continuous relative decline in demographics. While the absolute number of
Christians rose from 1990 to 2008 as the overall population increased, the actual percentage
of Christians dropped from 86.2% to 76.0%.[3] A nationwide telephone interview of 1,002
adults conducted by The Barna Group found that 70% of American adults believe that God is
"the all-powerful, all-knowing creator of the universe who still rules it today," and that 9% of
all American adults and 0.5% young adults hold to what the survey defined as a "biblical
worldview."[18]

No religion

A 2001 survey directed by Dr. Ariela Keysar for the City University of New York indicated
that, amongst the more than 100 categories of response, "no religious identification" had the
greatest increase in population in both absolute and percentage terms. This category included
atheists, agnostics, humanists, deists, and others with no theistic religious beliefs or practices.
Figures are up from 14.3 million in 1990 to 34.2 million in 2008, representing a proportionate
increase from 8% of the total in 1990 to 15% in 2008.[3] Another nation-wide study puts the
figure of unaffiliated persons at 16.1%.[19]

A study at the London School of Economics and Political Science, based on a U.S. sample,
showed that Americans who are atheist and liberal tend to have higher IQs by an average of 6-
11 points. In addition, American men who identify as atheist and liberal are more likely to be
sexually exclusive than average.[20]

In a 2006 nationwide poll, University of Minnesota researchers found that despite an

increasing acceptance of religious diversity, atheists were generally distrusted by other
Americans, who rated them below Muslims, recent immigrants and other minority groups in
"sharing their vision of American society". They also associated atheists with undesirable
attributes such as criminal behavior, rampant materialism, and cultural elitism.[21][22] However,
the same study also reported that “The researchers also found acceptance or rejection of
atheists is related not only to personal religiosity, but also to one’s exposure to diversity,
education and political orientation--with more educated, East and West Coast Americans
more accepting of atheists than their Midwestern counterparts.”[23]
[edit] Judaism

After Christianity and no-religion, Judaism is the third-largest religious affiliation in the US,
though this identification is not necessarily indicative of religious beliefs or practices.[3] A
significant number of people identify themselves as American Jews on ethnic and cultural
grounds, rather than religious ones. For example, 19% of self-identified American Jews
believe God does not exist, notwithstanding God's existence to be integral to Jewish religious
beliefs.[24] The 2001 ARIS study projected from its sample that there are about 5.3 million
adults in the American Jewish population: 2.83 million adults (1.4% of the U.S. adult
population) are estimated to be adherents of Judaism; 1.08 million are estimated to be
adherents of no religion; and 1.36 million are estimated to be adherents of a religion other
than Judaism.[25][26]

Jews have been present in what is now the US since the 17th century, though large scale
immigration did not take place until the 19th century, largely as a result of persecutions in
parts of Eastern Europe. The CIA Fact Book estimates about 2% of Americans belong to this
group.[4] Approximately 25% of this population lives in New York City.[27]

According to the 2008 US census, the total Jewish population numbered 6,489,000 [3], up
from 6,141,325 in 2000 [4]. According to the 2001 National Jewish Population Survey,[28] 4.3
million American Jewish adults have some sort of strong connection to the Jewish
community, whether religious or cultural. Jewishness is generally considered an ethnic
identity as well as a religious one. Among the 4.3 million American Jews described as
"strongly connected" to Judaism, over 80% have some sort of active engagement with
Judaism, ranging from attendance at daily prayer services on one end of the spectrum to as
little as attending Passover Seders or lighting Hanukkah candles on the other. Of these 4.3
million strongly connected Jews, 46% belong to a synagogue. Among those who belong to a
synagogue, 38% are members of Reform synagogues, 33% Conservative, 22% Orthodox, 2%
Reconstructionist, and 5% other types. The survey also discovered that Jews in the Northeast
and Midwest are generally more observant than Jews in the South or West. Reflecting a trend
also observed among other religious groups, Jews in the Northwestern United States are
typically the least observant.

In recent years, there has been a noticeable trend among previously secular American Jews,
called baalei teshuva ("returners", see also Repentance in Judaism), returning to a more
religious, in most cases, Orthodox, style of observance. It is uncertain how widespread or
demographically important this movement is at present.

The Jewish community in the United States is composed predominantly of Ashkenazi Jews
who emigrated from Central and Eastern Europe, and their US-born descendants. There are,
however, small numbers of older (and some recently arrived) communities of Sephardi Jews
with roots tracing back to 15th century Iberia (Spain, Portugal, and North Africa).

Buddhism

Buddhism entered the US during the 19th century with the arrival of the first immigrants from
Eastern Asia. The first Buddhist temple was established in San Francisco in 1853 by Chinese
Americans.
During the late 19th century Buddhist missionaries from Japan came to the US.
Simultaneously to these processes, US intellectuals started to take interest in Buddhism.

The first prominent US citizen to publicly convert to Buddhism was Henry Steel Olcott. An
event that contributed to strengthen Buddhism in the US was the Parliament of the World's
Religions in 1893, which was attended by many Buddhist delegates sent from India, China,
Japan, Thailand and Sri Lanka.

The early 20th century was characterized by a continuation of the tendencies with roots in the
19th century. The second half, by contrast, saw the emergence of new approaches, and the
move of Buddhism into the mainstream making itself a mass and social religious
phenomenon.

Many foreign associations and teachers - such as Soka Gakkai and Tenzin Gyatso the 14th
Dalai Lama[citation needed] (for Tibetan Buddhism) - started to organize missionary activities,
while US converts established the first Western-based Buddhist institutions, temples and
worship groups.

Estimates of the number of Buddhists in the United States vary between 0.5%[3] and 0.9%[4][29].

Islam

American Islam effectively began with the arrival of African slaves. It is estimated that about
10% of African slaves transported to the United States were Muslim.[30] Most, however,
became Christians, and significant Muslim numbers awaited the arrival of immigrant
populations from Arabic and East Asian Muslim areas.[citation needed] Islam also gained a higher
profile through the Nation of Islam, an American sect whose prominent converts included
Malcolm X and Muhammad Ali, both of whom later converted to Sunni Islam.[31] However,
the oldest Muslim community to establish in the country was the Ahmadiyya Muslim
Community, in 1921, which pre-dates Nation of Islam.[32][33] In recent years Siraj Wahhaj was
the first Muslim who had offered an invocation to the United States House of Representatives
in 1991,[34] and Warith Deen Mohammed was the first Muslim to give an invocation in the
U.S. Senate in 1992.[35] The first Muslim to have been elected in Congress was Keith Ellison
in 2006,[36] followed by Andre Carson in 2008.[37]

The Islamic Center of America located in Michigan, is the largest mosque in the United States

Research indicates that Muslims in the US are generally more assimilated and prosperous than
Muslims in Europe.[38][39] Surveys also suggest, however, that they are less assimilated than
other American subcultural and religious communities, especially after the 9/11 terrorist
attacks.[40] Like other subcultural and religious communities, the Islamic community has
generated its own political organizations and charity organizations.
According to some sources, Islam is the fastest growing religion in the United States,[41][42][43]
Much of the growth has been driven by immigration, and a comparatively high birth rate.[citation
needed]
Conversions also figure in this growth, with a quarter of American Muslims being
converts, almost entirely African-American.[40] Muslim immigration is rising as in 2005 alone
more people from Islamic countries became legal permanent US residents than in any year in
the previous two decades.[44][45] The number of Muslims in the US is somewhat controversial.
The highest, generally accepted estimate of Muslims in the United States is 2.5 million as of
2009 (0.8% of the total population).[46] Some sources mention estimates as high as 6-7 million.
[47][48]
(President Obama in a 2009 speech in Egypt, stated that there were nearly 7 million
Muslims in the US.[49]) This would make Islam the second most popular religion in the US
after Christianity. Such estimates were accepted by media for some time, but any empirical
basis for these higher numbers is not documented

Hinduism
Main article: Hinduism in the United States

Detail of Malibu Hindu Temple in California.

The first time Hinduism entered the US is not clearly identifiable. However, large groups of
Hindus immigrated from India and other Asian countries since the Immigration and
Nationality Act of 1965. During the 1960s and 1970s Hinduism exercised fascination
contributing to the development of New Age thought. During the same decades the
International Society for Krishna Consciousness (a Vaishnavite Hindu reform organization)
was founded in the US.

According to recent surveys, estimates for Hindus in the US suggest they number nearly 800
thousand people or about 0.4% of the total population[19][26] .

Hindu religion is growing in the US. Hinduism is expanding in popularity and influence on
the public life.[52] In 2004 the Hindu American Foundation - a national institution protecting
rights the Hindu community of US - was founded.

[edit] Baha'i
Main article: Bahá'í Faith by country#United States

The United States has perhaps the second largest Bahá'í community. It was established in
1894 by Ibrahim Kheiralla, a Lebanese Bahá'í immigrant who later left the main group and
founded a rival movement.[53]
[edit] Sikhism
Main article: Sikhism in the United States

Sikhs have been a part of the American populace for more than 130 years. Around 1900, the
state of Punjab of British India was hit hard by British practices of mercantilism. Many Sikhs
emigrated to the United States, and began arriving to work on farms in California. They
traveled via Hong Kong to Angel Island, California, the western counterpart to Ellis Island in
New York.[54]

"Some Sikhs worked in lumber mills of Oregon or in railroad construction and for some Sikhs
it was on a railway line, which allowed other Sikhs who were working as migrant laborers to
come into the town on festival days."[55]

"The first Sikh Gurdwara was built in Stockton, California; the Gurdwara was created in 1912
with joint efforts of Sardar Vasakha Singh and Bhai Jawala Singh. It was in September 1912
when land was purchased on South Granth Street in Stockton for the use of the Gurdwara. A
small frame house that was already standing on the lot was used as the main building of the
Gurdwara. This building still stands still where a library is now implemented. A Nishan Sahib
was also hoisted for the first time at the Gurdwara. Baba Vasakha Singh and Baba Jawala
Singh Thathian of Amritsar Sahib were appointed as the first Granthi Singh Jis of the
Gurdwara."[56]

Unitarian Universalism
Main article: Unitarian Universalism

Unity Temple in Oak Park, Illinois, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright.

Unitarian Universalism (UUism) came into existence as a unique religion when the Unitarian
Universalist Association (UUA) was founded in 1961 as a consolidation of the American
Unitarian Association and the Universalist Church in America. Unitarian Universalism is a
theologically liberal religious movement characterized by its support of a "free and
responsible search for truth and meaning." Unitarian Universalism is a covenantal religion.
Members do not share a creed; rather they are unified by their shared search for spiritual
growth. Unitarian Universalists draw on many different sources and have a wide range of
beliefs and practices.

Being historically derived from Unitarianism and Universalism, Unitarian Universalism traces
its roots to Christian Protestantism, however, the theological significance of both
Unitarianism and Universalism had significantly expanded beyond the traditional
understanding prior to their decision to combine their efforts at the continental level as
Unitarian Universalists. Many UUs appreciate and value aspects of Islamic, Christian and
Jewish spirituality, but the extent to which the elements of any particular faith tradition are
incorporated into one's personal spiritual practices is a matter of personal choice in keeping
with Unitarian Universalism's creedless, non-dogmatic approach to spirituality and faith
development.

As a result of these historical roots, Unitarian Universalist congregations and fellowships tend
to retain some Christian traditions such as Sunday worship that includes a sermon and singing
of hymns, despite the fact that they do not necessarily identify themselves as Christians.

According to the 2007 survey published by the Pew Forum on Religion & Public Life 0.3% of
U.S. adults or approximately 340,000 individuals identified themselves as Unitarian
Universalist.[57]

Hsi Lai Temple (lit. Coming West Temple), a Buddhist monastery in Los Angeles, California.

Buddhism entered

V-International Military UK USA Which Country Sets the Best Examples?

 Adherents % pop

Christian1 42 079 000 71.6

No religion (inc. Jedis)1 9 104 000 15.5

Religion in the United Kingdom
Muslim2 1 546 626 2.7
Diversity, Trends and
Hindu2 552 421 1.0
Decline
By Vexen Crabtree 2007 Jul Jedi Knight1 390 000 0.7
05
Sikh2 329 358 0.6
Index Page
Jewish2 259 927 0.5
Read / Write Comments
Buddhist2 144 453 0.3
With over 170 distinct religions
Spiritualist 32 404
counted in the 2001 Census, the
religious make-up of the UK is Pagan 30 569
diverse, complex, multicultural and
Jainism 15 132
surprising. Less than half of the
British people believe in a God, yet Wicca 7 227
about 72% told the 2001 census that
they were Christian, and 66% of the Rastafarians 4 692
population have no actual connection
Baha'i 4 645
to any religion or church, despite what
they tend to write down on official Zoroastrians 3 738
forms. Between 1979 and 2005, half
of all Christians stopped going to Christadelphian 2 368
church on a Sunday. Religion in Druidism 1 657
Britain has suffered an immense
decline since the 1950s, and all Pantheism 1 603
indicators show a continued
Satanism 1 525
secularisation of British society in line
with other European countries such New Age 906
as France.
Eckankar 426
1. Organized Religion in England
2. The Importance of Religion Raja Yoga 261
1. The Importance of Religion
Native American Church 234
to the British Public
2. Compared to Other Vodun (Vodoo) 123
Countries
Occult 99
3. Christianity is the Established
Religion in the UK Ancestor Worship 98
4. Belief in God
5. Ignorance of Religion Free Church of Love 49

Amish 24

Other1 179 000 0.3

Total religious 45 163 000 76.8

 6. Church Attendance in the UK
7. The 2001 National Census results on Religion
8. Belief in Various Religious and Spiritual Things
9. Minority Religions in Britain
10. Faith Schools
11. Church of England
1. Did the English Ever Belong in Church?
2. The Financial Situation of a Doomed Church
12. Sunday Attendance
13. Church Membership
14. Ministers
15. Churches | Congregations
16. Religious Adherents 1975 to 2001
17. Percentage Rate of Change Per Year
18. Percent of Anglican Baptisms of Newborn
19. Percent of C of E Confirmations Within Population
20. Church of England Colleges and Schools
21. Percent Cremated in the UK

1. Organized Religion in England

Summary:

 66% of the UK population have no connection with any religion or church3.

 18% of the British public say they are a practicing member of an organized religion4.

The comprehensive professional research in 2006 by Tearfund found that two thirds (66% -
32.2 million people) in the UK have no connection with any religion or church3. In 2003
August, 18% of the British public said they were a practicing member of an organized
religion, 25% they were members of a world religion4. According to these results, one fifth of
self-declared members would also not describe themselves as practicing that religion.
Presumably the others remain members for traditional reasons or due to social pressure.

“This secular majority presents a major challenge to churches. Most of them - 29.3 million -
are unreceptive and closed to attending church; churchgoing is simply not on their agenda.”

Tearfund (2007) on 2006 research3

1964 1970 198 1992 2005
 3

Belong to a religion
74% 71% 55% 37% 31%
and attend services

Does not belong 3% 5% 26% 31% 38%

Source:
British Social Attitudes (2006/7)5

Those who 'do not belong' have first shed the practical and theoretical underpinnings of their
religion, before finally overcoming social pressure to state 'your' religion. There are many
who are not at the later stages of this secularisation process, so they still say they 'belong',
although they are in the process of forgetting & discarding the physical and mental aspects of
what they say they belong to. Sociologists know that if they count heads and ask about
beliefs, more people say they belong to a religion, and say they have the beliefs of a particular
religion, than actually do. People over-state their own religiosity; that's why statistics from
polls will often give higher percentages of 'believers' than will head-counting and deeper
investigations.

In a large 2006 August poll of year 9 and 10 teenagers in Cornwall, only 19% said that they
'have a religious faith'6. It seems certain that if these teenagers reflect the future (only 22%
said they believe in God), religious affiliation is going to continue to drop. A wider mori poll
commissioned by the British Library found that nearly half of teenagers in Britain are atheists
(2007)7.

Organized religion in the UK has severely declined to the point where it is generally
overlooked and ignored. The cultural attachment to Christianity in general lives on, but
Monica Furlong in her 2002 comprehensive review of the state of English religion
summarizes the English in the same way as Grace Davies who wrote "Religion in Britain
since 1945" by saying the English "believe without belonging" to our religions. That is, many
profess belief but do not take part in organized religion. Subsequent scholars (and we will see
supporting evidence on this page) have doubted whether we believe; one said we "don't
believe, and don't belong". The Catholic Church has shouldered the main part of this decline,
as well as the Church of England as can be seen in the rest of the historical stats on this page.

“In the twenty years between 1980 and 2000 the Church of England suffered a 27 per cent
decline in church membership. The Roman Catholic Church suffered a similar decline in the
same period in mass attendance. Methodists, Baptists and others suffered decline too,
though in all the churches, it must be said, there have been significant successes in certain
churches and particular enterprises. The only institutional church which has continued to
grow has been the Orthodox Church - Greek and Russian - where demand for churches
exceeds supply, mainly because of immigration from Orthodox countries.

There is a rather touching footnote to all this, which is that people questioned about how
much they go to church, give figures which, if true, would add up to twice those given by the

churches. ”
"C of E: The State It's In" by Monica Furlong (2000)8

“'Catholics', the largest group, estimated to number about a million by the year 2000 are
declining the fastest, but what demands notice is that charismatic Evangelicals, still one of the
smaller groups in the Church, are growing rapidly - by around 6,000 every five years.
Evangelical Christians, according to the nomenclature of Religious Trends, are also growing
and moving up towards the half million mark. These last two groups are undeniably success

stories numerically. ”
"C of E: The State It's In" by Monica Furlong (2000)8

Year 2000 snapshots:

 In 2000, 60 per cent of the population claimed to belong to a specific religion with 55
per cent being Christian. However, half of all adults aged 18 and over who belonged
to a religion have never attended a religious service.9
 48% of people in the UK claim to belong to a religion, compared with 86% of people
in the US and 92% of Italians. From BBC's report "UK is 'losing' its religion" (2000)10.
 Church attendance in 1999 was 7.5% on an average Sunday, down from 10% in
1989 and 12% in 1979.

A strange cultural phenomenon that occurs when a state religion dies is that many families
will state that their religion is the common religion, i.e., Christian, despite not believing in the
basics of that religion. "Institutionalized Religions Have Their Numbers Inflated by National
Polls" by Vexen Crabtree (2009) expands on this phenomenon.

2. The Importance of Religion

2.1. The Importance of Religion to the British Public

 17% of the population responded that religion was one of the most significant factors
in their lives. A persons' own experience, parents, education and friends come first 4.
(2003)
 33% of the British public consider that 'religion is important'11.
 33% describe themselves as religious - 63% say they are not12. (2006)
Those who do profess religion in the UK are largely inactive. A 2007 poll commissioned by
the British Library found that 50% of them "do not practice religion very much, if at all" 7,
with Christians being the most inactive. A running theme of all the statistics we have seen on
this page affirm that although many say they are religious they frequently admit they are not
practicing.

2.2. Compared to Other Countries

Of 41 countries polled, 16 most developed countries have less than 40% of the populace who
think religion is important in their lives. The rest (including the US at a very high 60%, and
nearly all developing countries) had at least 57% of their populace who said so. Out of all the
countries where the majority of the people do not consider religion important, Northern
Ireland is the only country which experiences a conflict closely tied with religion. The USA
stands as the only developed country that is generally religious.11

3. Christianity is the Established Religion in the UK

One single general trend can be brought out of all the statistics of religious belief in the UK:
Our population is mostly irreligious, innocent and ignorant of religion, and despite some
defaulting to calling themselves "Christian" (71%), the country is not Christian despite a
vague 50% lingering belief in a God of some sort. Just over 6% of the population go to church
on a Sunday6 (for every 6 who do, 94 do not).

“Many people are brought up, as part of their family, to say that they are Christian despite
only having a precursory knowledge of Christ and only a vague belief in God. Frequently only
a single parent figure has any interest in the Church, but insists that the household each calls
themselves a Christian, and sometimes this continues for generations.

An implicit Christian is one who calls themselves Christian out of ease or habit, not due to
belief. From personal experience, most self declared Christians in the United Kingdom
confuse believing in God with being a Christian. Many think that if you believe in God, you
are therefore a Christian. In a predominantly Christian (Western) context, that assumption

suits only demographics, and is not useful for discerning what beliefs people actually have.”
"Institutionalized Religions Have Their Numbers Inflated by National
Polls" by Vexen Crabtree (2009)

Despite this, the historical rule of Christian authority in England led to the full
institutionalizing of Christianity. Although much of this infrastructure has been removed -
public offices are no longer restricted to members of Catholic or Protestant denominations,
some oddities still remain. A strange artifact of that history is that Bishops still sit in the
House of Lords (the UK's second chamber of government). "Britain is the only country left in
the democratic world that allows clerics to sit in its legislature as of right" 13. As the public do
not know much about religion nor can they be roused to either oppose or support it, such
anachronisms are sometimes left unchallenged: The government tends not to devote much
time to actively dismantling such apparatus, because even though it is an democratic
embarrassment for a country, the public themselves don't often notice.

4. Belief in God
Many large-scale polls indicate that less than half the British public believe in God:

Date Details Belief in God

2008 1000 people were polled both in the UK and the USA and asked <40%
"Do you believe there is a God?". Less than 40% in the UK said
yes, compared with 80% in the USA.14

2006 12507 people were polled, finding that only 35% in Great Britain 35%
believe in any kind of God or supreme being, compared to 27% in
France, 62% in Italy, 48% in Spain, 41% in Germany and 73% in
the USA.15

2006 Poll of 4000 older teenagers in Cornwall found that only 22% 22%
could affirm that they believed in God, and 49% said they didn't.16

2003 1001 British adults surveyed4. 60%

2003 55% of the British public do not believe in a higher being17. 45% inc. those
unsure

If the poll of 4000 year 9 & 10 teenagers 16 indicates what the future holds, then we can expect
belief in God to continue to fall over the next few decades.

5. Ignorance of Religion
The British public, both adults and children, are almost wholly ignorant of the basic facts
surrounding Christians and other world religions. The Ofsted report on Religious Education
(RE) in schools (2007) states that there is a problem even with teachers' insufficient
knowledge of RE at primary school level18 and likewise with recruiting the correct specialists
at secondary school level18. Not many people seem to mind, as religious education is seen as
easy, and the lessons themselves often used for discussions of current affairs rather than
religious studies. There is a pandemic innocence of knowledge about religion.
“Children who do not come from churchgoing homes - as I did not - now
grow up largely ignorant of Christian ideas in a way unimaginable half a
century ago. [...] The comments about religion by journalists in the press
and on television [...] suggest that even the basic Christian ideas are no
longer understood by university-educated people, still less by others.
Indeed even churchgoers can reveal an ignorance of the main elements

of Christian belief. ”
"C of E: The State It's In" by Monica Furlong (2000)19

In data revealed in a Mori poll from 2003 Aug, only 55% of the English population could
name one of the four Christian gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke or John). Slightly more, 60%,
could name the sacred book used by Muslims: the Koran.

Religious education seems all round to be shunned, and this goes hand in hand with the
obvious lack of concern the average British person has for religious matters.

“When I asked the Very Reverend David Edwards, the author of over thirty books on
modern Christianity, for his assessment of the state of spirituality in England, he just told me

bleakly that 'The English have lost any sense of what religion is' ”
"The English" by Jeremy Paxman (1998)20

6. Church Attendance in the UK

In 2007, Tearfund published the following results of their comprehensive review of British
Christian religion in 2006:

“One in four of the UK adult population say they go to church at least once a year. [...] 59%
never or practically never go to church.”

Tearfund (2007)3

 10% of the UK adult population go to church at least weekly.

 15% attend church at least monthly.
 26% attend church at least yearly.
 59% never or practically never go to church.

Self-disclosure polls of church attendance are generally twice as high as reality. Actual
measures of church attendance have shown that Church attendance in 1999 was 7.5%, down
from 10% in 1989 and 12% in 1979 (declining by about an absolute 2% per decade). This
trend predicts that in 2007, the rate will be close to 6% who attend, not the 10% who think
they do according to Tearfund. This estimate was backed up by the English Church Census
2004.

The Christian Research group's fourth English Church Census (2004) is another professional
census whose authors have never shied away from reporting honest statistics, no matter how
painful they have been for British Christianity. 37500 churches were invited to take part, and
about half did. Some stark truths of Church attendance between 1998 and 2005:

 Between 1998 and 2005, half a million people stopped going to church on Sunday6.
 Daily Telegraph's religious affairs correspondent, Jonathan Petre, says "While 1,000
new people are joining a church each week, 2,500 are leaving"21.
 6.3% of the population go to church on an average Sunday, compared to 7.5% in
199821.
 29% of churchgoers are 65 or over, compared with 16% of the population21.
 Sunday churchgoing is declining at 2.3% per year, slightly slower than the 1990s rate
of 2.7% per year6.
 Nearly all Church 'growth' is due to immigrants. A massive influx of Polish workers
have filled some churches6.
 "The Roman Catholics have recorded the largest drop [...], it has halved over the
past sixteen years"22.
 The drop in the 20-29 age group was 29%22.

"The fastest rates of decline were among Roman Catholics and Methodists; whereas the
Pentecostal Churches showed significant growth over the period. As a result, Methodism has
dropped to fourth place behind Pentecostalism. If these rates continue, the C of E will
overtake the RC Church within the next four years"23.

"London has 11 per cent of all churches in England, and 20 per cent of all churchgoers. It has
53 per cent of all English Pentecostalists, and 27 per cent of all Charismatic Evangelicals.
Also, it caters for 57 per cent of all worshippers in their 20s. "I couldn't believe that figure
myself, and had to check it again," said Peter Brierley, the director of Christian Research"23.

 See the full Chart of Sunday Attendance 1989-2005 , further down this page.

7. The 2001 National Census results on Religion

The 2001 National Census optional question on religion was answered by 92% of the
population. The Office for National Statistics today (2003 Feb 13) released some brief
analysis of statistics pertaining to religion:
  Religion in Britain - brief look at major religions.
 Religion: Detailed information including regional comparisons

Statistics quoted and stated below are taken from the above two pages.

Religion in England and Wales:

"There are 37.3 million people in England and Wales who state their religion as Christian.
The percentage of Christians is similar between the two countries but the proportion of people
who follow other religions is 6.0 per cent in England compared with 1.5 per cent in Wales. In
England, 3.1 per cent of the population state their religion as Muslim (0.7 per cent in Wales),
making this the most common religion after Christianity. For other religions, 1.1 per cent in
England and 0.2 per cent in Wales are Hindu, 0.7 per cent in England and 0.1 per cent in
Wales are Sikh, 0.5 per cent in England and 0.1 per cent in Wales are Jewish and 0.3 per cent
in England and 0.2 per cent in Wales are Buddhist.

The English region with the highest proportion of Christians is the North East (80.1 per cent).
[...] Outside London, the counties with the highest proportion of Christians are Durham,
Merseyside and Cumbria, each with 82 per cent or more. The districts with the highest
proportions of Christians are all in the North West: St Helens, Wigan and Copeland
(Cumbria) each have 86 per cent or more. In Wales, the highest proportion of Christians is
found on the Isle of Anglesey (79 per cent) and the fewest in Blaenau Gwent (64 per cent)".24

Religion in London:
"London has the highest proportion of Muslims (8.5 per cent), Hindus (4.1 per cent) Jews (2.1
per cent) Buddhists (0.8 per cent) and people of other religions (0.5 per cent). [...] Fifty-eight
per cent of people in London gave their religion as Christian, with the highest proportion in
the borough of Havering (76 per cent). Thirty-six per cent of the population of Tower Hamlets
and 24 per cent in Newham are Muslim. Over one per cent of the population of Westminster
are Buddhist, while Harrow has the highest proportion of Hindus (19.6 per cent) and Barnet
the highest proportion of Jewish people (14.8 per cent). Over eight per cent of the populations
of Hounslow and Ealing are Sikh.

Sixteen per cent of the population of London say they have no religion, including 25 per cent
in the City of London".24

8. Belief in Various Religious and Spiritual Things

In 2003, 18% said they were a practicing member of an organized religion, 25% they were
members of a world religion4. According to these results, one fifth of self-declared members
would also not describe themselves as practicing that religion. Presumably the others remain
members for traditional reasons or due to social pressure.
24% said they were spiritual but do not belong to an organized religion, 12% said they were
sure there was no God and another 14% said they're unconvinced that one exists 4. Between
them, it looks like 26% are agnostic or atheist, and in a similar question (phrased differently)
29% said that they do not believe in God, and 60% said they did (but doesn't inquire as to
which God they believe in). Most other large, modern polls indicate that less than 50% of the
British believe in a god.

Although in 2003, 60% believed in God, only 52% believed in Heaven 4 so it is clear that
many theists are neither mainstream Muslims or Christians. 32% still believe in hell (2003)4,
although a 2008 poll puts that value at under 20%14. 68% believed in souls in 20034, meaning
that there are many spiritualists who are not theists - something that does not surprise me.

Close friends (46%), a walk in the country (41%), music or poetry all are more inspirational
than Jesus (24%) or Nelson Mandela (20%), and all those plus Princess Diana (13%) are more
inspirational than "a sacred text" with a mere 6%.4

9. Minority Religions in Britain

Britain follows more than 170 distinct different faiths or belief systems2.

“The South-East emerged as the capital of fringe faiths and sects, with London and the
South-West not far behind. The census found that spiritualism, the belief that the dead can be
contacted through mediums, was the eighth largest faith group, with 32,404 people claiming
allegiance. The first spiritualist church was established in England at Keighley in Yorkshire in

1853.” 2

“Suzanne Evans, a writer on paganism, said the figures confirmed that it is one of the fastest
growing religions in the country. She said it was environmentally friendly, treated God as

both male and female and regarded sexuality as something to be celebrated. ” 2

“[Outside London] The district with the highest proportion of Sikhs is Slough. One person in
seven of the population of Leicester is Hindu. One person in nine of the population of
Hertsmere in Hertfordshire, is Jewish. Over one per cent of the population of Cambridge are
Buddhist. Brighton and Hove has most people stating other religions (0.8 per cent).

The districts with the highest proportions of people with no religion are Norwich, Brighton,
Hove and Cambridge; all with over one-quarter professing no belief.
[In Wales] Rhonnda, Cynon, Taff has the highest proportion with no religion (25 per cent).
Cardiff has the highest proportion of Muslims, Hindus, Sikhs and Jews. Ceredigion has the

highest proportions of Buddhists and people of other religions. ” 24

9.1. Heathens

Interestingly, the 2001 Census officials included "heathens" in the "no religion" category.
Heathenism is a set of distinct religious beliefs, one of the religions generally called Pagan,
along with Druidism, neo Paganism and Wicca. Although some may put heathen when they
do mean "no religion", some will not. I do not know if it is more correct to list Heathens as
"no religion" or "other religion". Asatru, Odinism and other Northern religions are likely to
have followers who identify themselves as heathens. So, like you get Christians who are
Protestant and Catholic amongst others, you also get Pagans who are neo Pagan, Wicca, etc,
and Heathens who are Asatru, Odinists, etc. Listing these as non-religious is probably a
mistake, unlike the Jedis.

“The main spiritual paths of Paganism to be found in the UK and the

United States are Wicca, Druidry, Shamanism, Goddess Spirituality, Sacred

Ecology, Heathenism and various magical groups. ”

"Pagan Pathways" by Harvey & Hardman (2000)25.
More quotes from this book.

During email correspondence, the Office for National Statistics revealed further information
about the 'Heathen' category. They said: "Responses of "Heathen", with a number of other
responses that either indicated no clear religion or faith, or where there was some ambiguity
in the term written in, were put in the category of 'No religion'. There were less than 300
people included in this way in the 'No religion' category".26

9.2. Jedi Knights

"About sixteen per cent of the UK population stated that they had no religion. This category
included agnostics, atheists, heathens and those who wrote Jedi Knight." 1 "At the time the
Census was carried out, there was an internet campaign that encouraged people to answer the
religion question "Jedi Knight". The number of people who stated Jedi was 390,000 (0.7 per
cent of the population)."24 An urban myth developed and some people believed that this many
votes would make Jedi an official religion, however this is not true.

"Just over 390,000 of the 52,000,000 people in England and Wales wrote in 'Jedi' on their
census form. The 'Jedi' response was most popular in Brighton and Hove, with 2.6 per cent of
Census respondents quoting it, followed by Oxford (2.0 per cent), Wandsworth (1.9),
Cambridge (1.9), Southampton (1.8) and Lambeth (1.8).

It was least popular in Easington, on the north-east coast of England between Sunderland and
Hartlepool, where it was quoted by only 0.16 per cent of respondents. Sedgefield, Knowsley,
Blaenau Gwent, Merthyr Tydfil and Wear Valley all show less than 0.2 per cent of
respondents quoting 'Jedi' ".27

9.3. Satanists
See "The Satanic Community: How many Satanists are there?" by Vexen Crabtree (2002) for some
extra commentary.

Although 1525 are counted on the 2001 Census, the numbers of Satanists is notoriously
difficult to estimate. In 2001 and 2002 I enquired at London Satanists meetings and found that
only half identified themselves as a Satanist on the census. Others put "atheist" or even
Christian denominations as their religion. This is a significant under-representation.
Therefore, an estimate of 3050 would be sensible. Most Satanic groups are informal,
temporary and ad-hoc (so congregation numbers cannot be counted), and the mainstream
Church of Satan does not publish membership numbers but also many Satanists are not
members of the COS. Hence, estimates of numbers of Satanists have varied wildly
according to authors' imaginations and paranoias.

9.4. Wicca and Paganism

7227 adherents appeared on the 2001 census who entered Wicca. Combined with the 30569
who put Pagan makes a total of nearly 40 thousand. This rounded value obtains whether or
not you include those who put 'New Age', numbering 906 or 'Heathen', numbering less than
300. These minorities are not readily discriminated against in the UK as they are in some
countries such as the USA. Maybe this acceptance comes from the UK's longer history with
modern Paganisms. Professor Hutton states that it is 'the only religion which England has ever
given the world':

“The unique significance of pagan witchcraft to history is that it is the

only religion which England has ever given the world. The English have always developed
their own distinctive versions of other religious systems ever since their state acquired an
identity, but this is the first which has ever originated in it, and spread from there to many

other parts of the world. ”

 "The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft" by
Prof. R. Hutton (1999)28

10. Faith Schools

The following is the final summary on my text on faith schools in the UK, the full text delves
into many of the issues introduced below:

“In 2001 there were 7000 state faith schools in the UK (of 25000). The worst teach
creationism (that the world is only 6000 years old, against all scientific evidence) and some,
although they excel at religious education and Koranic studies, fail on everything else from
science to fitness. Reports on the race riots of 2001 criticized faith schools for creating the
segregation that increases racial and religious sectarian tensions. Over 800 studies by social
psychologists have found that cooperating and extended contact between racial groups is a
very good way of producing positive race relations. Faith schools sometimes produce better-
than-average results, but they also select students based on ability (despite attempts to stop
them), whereas state schools accept poorer students in the first place. The Home Office,
National Union of Teachers, Chief Schools Inspector, the Association of Teachers and
Lecturers have all spoken out against faith schools. The United Nations Human Rights
Commission and the European Union's Monitoring Centre on Racism and Xenophobia both
recommend non-sectarian education, especially of children, as a means to reduce
intolerance. The National Secular Society has long campaigned for the government to
reverse the creation of faith schools (100 new ones since 1997), and instead convert faith
schools back into all-inclusive secular schools where religion and race do not define the
children. Abolishing faith schools will decrease social tension between ethnic and religious
groups, increase the fairness of the schools system (as religious schools accept fewer poor
and disadvantaged students), and reduce the scope for religious extremism and

indoctrination. ”
"Sectarian Faith Schools" by Vexen Crabtree (2003)

11. Church of England

11.1. Did the English Ever Belong in Church?

The English have produced world-class religious clerics and scholars. Universities and
Christian centers of learning proliferated in England. However the depth of the religious
convictions of most "Christians" is seriously questioned. From historical "Celtic Christianity"
to the modern-day liberal Church of England, many have questioned whether Britains now, or
our ancestors in the past, ever really took to Christianity the same as others and whether or not
we really were ever in sync with the rest of the Christian East. Jeremy Paxman in his book
studying English personality, history, religion and identity, comments:

“[In history, the English] were not in any meaningful sense religious,
the Church of England being a political invention which had elevated
being 'a good chap' to something akin to canonization. On the
occasions when bureaucracy demanded they admit an allegiance, they
could write 'C of E' in the box and know that they wouldn't be bothered

by demands that they attend church ”

"The English" by Jeremy Paxman (1998)29

Paxman observes that the Church of England is how it is because "that is how the English like
their religion - pragmatic, comfortable and unobtrusive". Although in recent years
evangelical, extreme and fundamentalist Christianity has been slowly catching on. However
the Church of England still remains a "power" within the UK, which can exert pressure
through the media. It is still given press attention although there admittedly more scandal and
shock, than awe or reverence.

“The only sensible conclusion to draw from the uniquely privileged position of the Church of
England - its official status, the bishops' seats in the House of Lords, the Prime Minister's
right to appoint senior clerics and so on - is not that it represents some profound spirituality in

the people, but that it suits mutually convenient purposes for state and Church ”
"The English" by Jeremy Paxman (1998)30

The absolute, institutionalized and symbolic strength of the Church of England has
disappeared. The history of the English finding their identity after the two world wars is a
history of the realisation that there is no Christian Britain. The Church of England, as the
following mass of reports, stats and charts show, has recovered from its historical hollow
bloat: The bubble of English commitment to a Christian Church has popped.

“It is not exaggerated to conclude that between 1960 and 1985 the Church Of England ...
was effectively reduced to not much more than half its previous size.”

"Religion in Britain since 1945" by Grace Davie (1997)31

“The number of people who say they are members of the state religion has dropped by 40%
since 1983, according to a poll by the National Centre for Social Research (NCSR).”
 UK is 'losing' its religion BBC News (2000)10

“The Church of England is between a rock and a hard place, and there are bitter pills to be
swallowed. The most painful fact with which it has to deal (along with other churches) is the
all-round drop in numbers: churchgoers, those on the electoral roles, numbers of baptisms,
confirmation, church weddings - all have dropped steadily since the 1930s, with consequential
loss both of morals and of income. Much is made of the increase in the numbers of ordinands
(those training for the priesthood), but this, the only good news on the table at the time of
writing, seems an odd criterion of renewed life - many chiefs and few Indians will scarcely

solve the problem. ”

C of E: The State It's In by Monica Furlong (2000)32

“A report on youth published for the General Synod Board of

Education in 1996, which says that 'the total Sunday attendance at
Anglican Churches amongst 14- to 17-year-olds is 60,739', a drop of
34.9 per cent since 1987. [...] If the same rate continues to apply, there
may be no young people at all in the Church in twenty years time. The
report goes on to say that this does not just apply to church services - a

”
C of E: The State It's In
similar drop has also been observed in church organisations.
C of E: The State It's In by Monica Furlong (2000)33

“In 1994 there were 86,000 weddings in Church of England churches - a third of all
weddings.”
C of E: The State It's In by Monica Furlong (2000)34

The following charts and data show a consistent decline across several decades. Most data
show a peak in the 1930s of Church membership and participation. The decline from then to
the 1960s was marked, but slow. The decline since the 1960s has been rapid and shocking.
The 90s saw the rate of decrease begin to decrease. I believe that the data of the next decade
or two will show us the true numbers of Church of England affiliation. What I see is that a
bubble has burst: The public are no longer deferring to the Church of England. As a result,
stats have dropped sharply as this change in behaviour occurs. We will now see real
participation data! We will also see a continued genuine decline in numbers.

11.2. The Financial Situation of a Doomed Church

“Between 1990 and 2001, the Church [of England] lost 18% of its Sunday communicants,
17% of its clergy (none of them bishops) and 1% of its buildings. The Church
Commissioners' gradually shrinking endowment of £3.5 billion, is about half the value of, say,
Yale University's investments. [...] Last year, 70% of gross endowment income went on
paying pensions alone. [...] Donations per head have increased steeply in recent years, in
part because the disappearance of working-class believers has left congregations older and

wealthier ”
The Economist (2003)35

The overall picture is of a Church that has lost most its membership and is losing the rest. Its
financial situation is poor and getting worse, with a top-heavy organisation with less and less
income for more and more pensioners. This is a bleak picture, and I do not know that anything
will reverse it. The Churches financial hope is that all the pensioners die before the Church
Commissioners' funds dry up completely. Drastic measures yet to be introduced, but which I
expect, is a culling of bishops and staff. I do not foresee much building-selling as there are not
many buyers who can do anything with old, semi-derelict Churches or huge Cathedrals! The
government, in the future, will need to step in and take ownership or control of decaying
Church buildings (for demolition & conversion to useful buildings?) as the Heritage Fund
cannot cope (and wouldn't be justified) in paying the costs associated with maintaining these
anachronistic structures.

12. Sunday Attendance

Annual Annual 1989-2005
1989 Chang 1998 Chang 2005 Total
e e Change

Roman Catholics 1 703 1 217

-3.2% -4.2% 875 600 -49%
(England) 800 800

1 260
Church of England -2.6% 975 900 -1.6% 867 400 -31%
800

Pentecostals 236 700 -0.1% 214 600 +4.9% 287 600 +22%

Methodists 512 300 -2.9% 379 700 -3.4% 289 400 -44%

Baptists 270 900 +0.2% 277 600 -1.2% 254 800 -6%

New Churches 167 000 +2.2% 200 500 -1.2% 183 600 +10%

Independent Churches 298 500 -4% 191 600 -0.2% 190 500 -36%

United Reformed 149 300 -2% 121 700 -6.2% 69 900 -53%

4 599 3 579 3 018

Total of above: -34%
300 400 800

The Christian Research English Church Census, 2005 6

National Attendance

1979   12% [36] -0.20/year

 1989 10% [36] -0.28/year

07.5
1998 [6, 21] -0.17/year
%

06.3
2005 [6]
%

These figures only reflect Sunday attendance; some denominations and churches have
experienced increased numbers mid-week, but only involving small numbers compared to the
overall decline.

13. Church Membership

“A key element in the fall of church membership which started in the 1950s was an alarming
failure to recruit even the offspring of adherents... between the mid-1950s and 1980, the
number of Church of Scotland Sunday-school pupils almost halved, and a spectacular fall in
church baptisms followed; between 1967 and 1982, they fell by half in the Church of

Scotland and by almost 40 per cent in the Catholic Church. ”

"A Social History of Religion in Scotland since 1730" by C. Brown
(1987)37

Grace Davie 1997:

1975 1980 1985 1990 1992

Anglican 2 297 571 2 180 108 2 016 593 1 870 429 1 808 174

Baptist 236 212 240 211 243 736 232 118 230 772

Independent 252 172 252 991 308 258 342 319 356 921

Methodist 596 406 540 348 500 702 475 440 458 773

Orthodox 196 850 203 140 223 686 265 918 275 805

Other 155 835 138 948 127 632 129 823 130 703

Pentecostal 104 648 126 743 138 316 158 695 169 782

Presbyterian 1 641 520 1 505 290 1 384 997 1 288 505 1 242 406

Roman Catholic 2 518 955 2 337 853 2 204 165 2 167 994 2 044 911
Total 8 000 169 7 525 632 7 148 085 6 931 241 6 718 247

% Population: 18.5 16.8 15.6 14.9 14.4

% changed per year: -0.24 -0.24 -0.14 -0.25

Persons on the Church Electoral Roll. Total on the roll, in millions, and the enrolement rate
(in percent) of the population, from Bryan Wilson 1966:

Year Millions % Enrolement

1925 3.6 14.3

1930 (peak) 3.7 14.7

1940 3.4 12.0

1950 3.0 9.6

1960 2.9 8.9

1964 2.7 8.1

14. Ministers
1975 1980 1985 1990 1992 1992 female

Anglican 15 911 14 654 14 064 14 137 13 920 820 ( 5.9%)

Baptist 2 418 2 469 2 648 2 803 2 936 85 ( 2.9%)

Independent 1 575 1 483 2 022 2 786 2 903 67 ( 2.3%)

Methodist 2 726 2 632 2 617 2 668 2 657 246 ( 9.3%)

Orthodox 126 160 187 241 249 0 ( 0.0%)

Other 1 884 1 850 1 922 2 324 2 321 1 054 (45.4%)

Pentecostal 1 605 2 243 2 580 3 359 3 462 532 (15.4%)

Presbyterian 3 776 3 632 3 412 3 159 3 060 324 (10.3%)

Roman Catholic 8 892 8 854 8 408 7 980 7 798 0 ( 0.0%)

Total 38 913 37 977 37 860 39 457 39 306 3 120 ( 7.9%)

“The turn of the century has seen a decline in the numbers of clergy, though there has been
a recent small upturn. By the year 2000 the Church [of England] will have around a thousand

less clergy than it had in 1980 - around ten thousand. ”

C of E: The State It's In by Furlong (2000)38

15. Churches | Congregations

(denominations in 1992) 1975 1980 1985 1990 1992

Anglican (7) 19 783 19 366 18 892 18 340 18 236

Baptist (9) 3 619 3 344 3 375 3 627 3 614

Independent (27) 4 536 4 611 5 331 5 932 5 898

Methodist (6) 9 066 8 492 7 954 7 591 7 401

Orthodox (19) 135 150 179 207 218

Other (43) 1 992 2 004 1 998 2 064 2 148

Pentecostal (69) 1 655 1 935 2 041 2 143 2 215

Presbyterian (13) 6 177 5 897 5 650 5 489 5 450

Roman Catholic (15) 4 104 4 132 4 222 4 297 4 290

Total 51 067 49 931 49 632 49 690 49 470

16. Religious Adherents 1975 to 2001

(in millions) 197539 198039 198539 199039 199539 20011

Trinitarian Churches:

Anglicans 27.2 27.1 27.0 26.9 26.7

Baptist 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6 0.6

Independent 0.5 0.5 0.6 0.8 0.7

Methodist 1.6 1.5 1.3 1.3 1.3

Orthodox 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.5 0.5

Other 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3

Pentecostal 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.4

Presbyterian 1.9 1.7 1.7 1.6 1.5

Roman Catholic 5.5 5.5 5.6 5.6 5.6

Non-Trinitarian:

Church Of Scientology 0.1 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.4

Other 0.6 0.7 0.8 0.9 0.9

Hindus 0.3 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.4 0.5

Jews 0.4 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.3

Muslims 0.4 0.6 0.9 1.0 1.1 1.5

Sikhs 0.2 0.3 0.3 0.5 0.6 0.3

Total Trinitarian 38.2 37.9 37.8 37.9 37.6 42.1

Total non-Trinitarian 2.0 2.5 3.0 3.4 3.7

Total Religious 40.2 40.4 40.8 41.3 41.3 45.1

% population Trinitarian 68 67 67 66 64 71.6

% population Other 4 5 5 6 7

Total % of nominal adherents 72 72 72 72 71 77.2

Davie (1997) provides most of the historical data, but, I am not sure that her "Trinitarian" is
exactly equal to the 2001 Census' "Christian" category. There are certainly non-trinitarian
Christians. Nonetheless, I have transpositioned the numbers of 'Christians' in the 2001 column
for ease of comparison. More importantly, the Census would have been a radically different
context for people to answer as to their religion.

17. Percentage Rate of Change Per Year

of members of members of ministers of ministers of churches of churches
1975-1985 1985-1995 1975-1985 1985-1995 1975-1985 1985-1995

Anglican -2.6 -3.1 -2.4 -1.3 -0.9 -0.8

Baptist +0.6 -0.9 +1.8 +2.4 -1.4 +1.8

Independent +4.1 +3.0 +5.1 +7.6 +3.3 +2.3

Methodist -3.4 -2.6 -0.8 0.0 -2.6 -2.0

Orthodox +2.6 +5.1 +8.2 +7.8 +5.8 +5.3

Other -3.9 +0.6 +0.4 +4.3 0.0 +2.0

Pentecostal +5.7 +5.9 +10.0 +7.9 +4.3 +2.0

Presbyterian -3.3 -2.9 -2.0 -3.1 -1.8 -1.2

Roman Catholic -2.6 -2.4 -1.1 -1.9 +0.6 +0.5

Total -2.2 -1.9 -0.5 +0.4 -0.6 -0.1

18. Percent of Anglican Baptisms of Newborn

Year Grace Davie Steve Bruce Bryan Wilson The decline in this number from the
1997 1996 1966
1930s was slow, from a peak of about
1885 62.3 70%, but the decline in the number of
Anglican baptisms from the 1950s has
1895 64.1
been rapid. In the 1990s, 3 out of 10
1900 65 65.0 newborns have been baptised. Infant
baptism has always been an important
1910 68.9
source of recruitment for Anglican
1930 (peak) 71 (1927) 69.9 churches, the slight increase in adult
baptisms has not made up the numbers.
1950 67.2 67.2

1960 55.4 55 55.4 The Pagan Federation offers baby

blessings, as does The National Secular
1970 46.6 47 Society and the Family Covenant
1980 <40 Association. So worried is the Church of
England, that in 1999 we saw a Church
1990 27.5 offer its own version for newborns with
1993 27 parents who are not religious.

“Terry Sanderson, a spokesman for the

National Secular Society, said the church seemed to be losing its "core business", - the
"hatch, match and dispatch" trilogy of births, marriages and deaths. He said: "People want to

welcome their child into the world without welcoming them into the church. ”
 BBC News (1999)40

19. Percent of C of E Confirmations Within

Population
Year Grace Davie 1997 Bryan Wilson 1966

1900 29.0

1920 29.3

1930 (peak) 31.3

1940 25.1 25.1

1950 27.9 27.9

1960 (peak) 31.5 31.5

The percent of 15 year olds confirmed in the Church of England has never been much more
than 30% of the population of England. Between 1960 and 1982 the actual number of
confirmations taking place each year declined by more than 50%. It's not just that people are
being confirmed at an older age. Total confirmations in the age group 12 to 20 years have also
decreased from the 1960s [Bryan Wilson 1966].

20. Church of England Colleges and Schools

Year Sunday School Teachers

1910 206 000

1920 171 000

1930 163 000

1939 127 000

1953 98 000

1960 85 000

Bryan Wilson 1966

Year Colleges Places
1961 26 1 663

1977 15 769

Grace Davie 1997

Given that the quicker decline of numbers has been since the 1960s, I dread to think what the
present numbers of Sunday School Teachers are.

21. Percent Cremated in the UK

Year Source: Source:
Davie Cremation
(1997) Society

1884 Legalized

1930 0.87

1939 (WW2) 3.8 3.51

1945 7.8 7.80

1950 15.59

1960 34.70

1966 50 46.89

1970 55.41

1980 65.26

1991 70 69.54

2000 71.50

“From 1939 cremation rapidly overtook religious coffin funerals as the preferred postmortem
arrangement for bodies. England was the first Western country to adopt cremation as widely.
Secular government should rightly have control over such matters as it is wrong to force
particular rituals on a populace consisting of multiple faiths and varied beliefs.
England has acute problems with space to bury the dead, most formal burial grounds are full
and rotate slots, smashing the bottom of old coffins and putting new ones on top. There are
few other options, as such, religions that have impractical dogmas telling people how they
should behave towards the dead have become obsolete and largely ignored by many,

especially professionals. ”
"Approaching Death: Cremations, Disposal of Bodies and Suicide" by
Vexen Crabtree (2007)

From 2000 the rapid increase in cremation rates has ended, and provisional statistics for 2004
show that it has stabilized at about 71%.

Also see:

 "Cremation or burial? Contemporary choice in city and village" by Peter Jupp in "The
Sociology of Death" compiled by David Clark, 1993
 The Cremation Society of Great Britain, total UK cremations. Website:
www.cremation.org.uk

By Vexen Crabtree 2007 Jul 05

Originally published 2000 Apr 26
Last Updated: 2009 Aug 04

Read / Write Comments

Index Page

Links:

 "UK Christian Handbook" published by Marc Europe.

 www.adherents.com.
 Office for National Statistics.
 OCRT: Religious makeup of the UK.
 House of Lords BBC Charter Review - Polls and Surveys on Belief .
References: (What's this?)

Bruce, Steve. "Religion in the Modern World: From Cathedrals to Cults" (1996). Oxford
University Press, Oxford, UK. [Book Review]
Crabtree, Vexen
"Anti-Religious Forces: Specific Factors Fuelling Secularisation" (2003). Accessed 2010 Apr
01.
"Institutionalized Religions Have Their Numbers Inflated by National Polls" (2009). Accessed
2010 Apr 01.

Currie, Gilbert and Horsely. "Churches and Churchgoers" (1977). Via a source that I have
neglected to record.

Davie, Grace. "Religion in Britain since 1945" (1997). Blackwell Publishers, Cambridge,
UK. Originally published 1994.

Furlong, Monica. "The C of E: The State It's In" (2000). First published in GB in 2000 by
Stoughton. All quotes taken from the paperback first edition, 2000. [Book Review]

Harvey, Graham & Hardman, Charlotte. "Pagan Pathways" (1995). First published by
Thorsons 1995. All quotes taken from Thorsons 2000 edition.

Hutton, Ronald. "The Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft" (1999).
2001 paperback edition published by Oxford University Press, Oxford, UK.

National Center for Social Research, the. "British Social Attitudes 2006/2007" (2007).
Edited by Alison Park, John Curtice, Katarina Thomson, Miranda Phillips and Mark Johnson.
Published by SAGE Publications, London, UK.

Ofsted (UK government 's Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills).
"Making sense of religion" (2007). Report published 2007 Jun by Ofsted, London, UK.
www.ofsted.gov.uk. Accessed 2007 Jul 02.

Paxman, Jeremy. "The English" (1998). Quotes from 1999 Penguin Books edition.

Wilson, Bryan. "Religion in Secular Society" (1966). Penguin Books softback first edition.

Wolffe, John (Ed.). "The Growth of Religious Diversity: Britain From 1945" (1993).
Published by Hodder Arnold H&S.

Notes

1. Office for National Statistics 2001 April Census summary of religion in Britain released 2003
Feb 13.^^^^^
2. The Telegraph (2004 Dec 13) "Spiritual Britain worships over 170 different faiths", by
Jonathan Petre, Religion Correspondent.^^
3. Tearfund research, "Churchgoing in the UK" 2007 Apr 03. The survey involved 7000
UK adults aged 16 or over, interviewed between 8th February to 5th March 2006.^^
4. Mori poll results 2003 Aug 08-17. Poll data: www.ipsos-mori.com/polls/2003/bbc-
heavenandearth-top.shtml, and a summary: www.ipsos-mori.com/polls/2003/bbc-
heavenandearth.shtml.^^^^
5. British Election Studies, in British Social Attitudes 2006/2007, p9. National Center for
Social Research. Added to this page on 2007 Jul 19.^
6. The Christian Research English Church Census 2005 , accessed 2006 Sep 23.^^^^
7. National Secular Society newsletter, 2007 Sep 14.^^
8. Furlong (2000) p216-217.^
9. Belonging to a religion: Social Trends 32 by ONS.^
10. BBC News (2000 Nov) "UK is 'losing' its religion".^^
11. The public commitment to religion in countries worldwide stats compiled by the Ontario
Consultants on Religious Tolerance, accessed 2003 Feb 18.^^
12. The Guardian (2006 Dec 23) article "Religion does more harm than good - poll", at
URL www.guardian.co.uk/religion/...1978045,00.html. "ICM interviewed a random
sample of 1,006 adults aged 18+ by telephone between December 12 and 13.
Interviews were conducted across the country and the results have been weighted to
the profile of all adults. ICM is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by
its rules".^
13. National Secular Society newsline (2007 Jul 07).^
14. The Economist (2008 Mar 29) article "Anglo-Saxon attitudes" contained graphical
representation of poll results, making precise values hard to discern. Added to this
page on 2008 Apr 28.^^
15. Financial Times/Harris Poll conducted in the USA and five European countries
(France, Italy, Germany, Great Britain and Spain) between November and 15th
December 2006. www.prnewswire.com & 2006 Dec 22 National Secular Society
newsline.^
16. National Secular Society newsline (2006 Aug 18). Survey conducted by Dr Penny
Jennings, a Research Associate at the Welsh National Centre for Religious
Education, University of Wales, Bangor, questioned 3,826 students from Years 9 and
10 coming from 24 out of the 31 secondary schools in Cornwall.^
17. 2002 Oct 21. Added information from a poll carried out by New Scientist of the British
public, and quoted by BBC News. At the time of writing the poll has not appeared on
the New Scientist website as their archive is down.^
18. Ofsted (2007). Point 45, 60-64.^
19. Furlong (2000) introduction p3.^
20. Paxman (1998) p105.^
21. National Secular Society newsline, 2006 Sep 22 comments on the English Church
Census 2005.^^
22. The Telegraph (2006 Sep 21), Jonathan Petre comments on the English Church
Census 2005.^
23. Church Times (2006 Sep 22) comments on the English Church Census 2005.^
24. Ibid1., Ethnicity and religion from ONS (PDF includes tables)^^
25. Harvey & Hardman (2000) introduction p10-11.^
26. Email dated 15/02/2003 received by the organizer of www.hedgewitch.org and
forwarded on to the uk.religion.pagan newsgroup.^
27. Ibid1., 390,000 Jedis There Are from ONS^
28. Hutton (1999) p vii. Added to this page on 2008 Oct 20.^
29. Paxman (1998) p6.^
30. Paxman (1998) p99-100.^
31. Davie (1997).^
32. Furlong (2000) introduction p1.^
33. Furlong (2000) p210.^
34. Furlong (2000) p213.^
35. The Economist (2003 Nov 08) Vol.369 No.8349.^
36. uk.news.yahoo.com 2000. Accessed 2000.^
37. Brown (1987) in Wolffe (1993). Essay by Callum G. Brown, A Social History of
Religion in Scotland since 1730, London, Methven, 1987, pp225-7,288,299-30.^
38. Furlong (2000) p140.^
39. Davie (1997).^
40. BBC News (1999 Jul 14) article "UK Church offers atheists 'baby blessing'". Accessed 2002
Feb 09.^

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