People of no religion
outnumber Christians in England and Wales – study
Proportion of population who identify as having no
religion rose from 25% in 2011 to 48.5% in 2014, surveys show
The number of people
who say they have no religion is rapidly escalating and significantly outweighs
the Christian population in England and Wales, according to new analysis.
The proportion of the
population who identify as having no religion – referred to as “nones” – reached
48.5% in 2014, almost double the figure of 25% in the 2011 census. Those who
define themselves as Christian – Anglicans, Catholics and other denominations –
made up 43.8% of the population.
“The striking thing is
the clear sense of the growth of ‘no religion’ as a proportion of the
population,” said Stephen Bullivant, senior lecturer in theology and ethics at
St Mary’s Catholic University in Twickenham, who analysed data collected
through British Social Attitudes surveys over three decades.
“The main driver is
people who were brought up with some religion now saying they have no religion.
What we’re seeing is an acceleration in the numbers of people not only not
practising their faith on a regular basis, but not even ticking the box. The
reason for that is the big question in the sociology of religion.”
The report did not
examine data from Scotland or Northern Ireland. Last month a Scottish Social
Attitudes survey found that 52% of the population said they were not religious,
compared with 40% in 1999.
In Northern Ireland,
which has long been the most religious part of the UK, 7% said in the 2011
census that they belonged to a non-Christian religion or no religion.
The new analysis will
fuel concern among Christian leaders about growing indifference to organised
religion. This year the Church of England said it expected attendance to continue to fall
for another 30 years as its congregations age and the millennial generation
spurns the institutions of faith.
According to
Bullivant’s report, Contemporary Catholicism in England and Wales –
which will be launched at the House of Commons on Tuesday, both the Anglican
and Catholic churches are struggling to retain people brought up as Christians.
Four out 10 adults who
were raised as Anglicans define themselves as having no religion, and almost as
many “cradle Catholics” have abandoned their family faith to become “nones”.
Neither church is
bringing in fresh blood through conversions. Anglicans lose 12 followers for
every person they recruit, and Catholics 10.
The vast majority of
converts come from other Christian denominations, rather than non-Christians or
people with no religion. “There’s a kind of denominational musical chairs,”
said Bullivant. “No one is making serious inroads into the non-Christian
population.”
The proportion of the
population who describe themselves as Anglican plunged from 44.5% in 1983 to
19% in 2014. Catholics made up 8.3%, other Christians 15.7% and non-Christian
religions 7.7%.
The analysis throws up
striking regional variations. London has the smallest proportion of people
identifying as “nones”, at an average of 40%, accounted for by the capital’s
large minority ethnic population. In contrast, 59.5% of people in Wales say they
have no religion.
Half of all Christians
in England and Wales are over the age of 55, although Catholics have a younger
age profile. Of those describing themselves as Christian, 58.6% are women.
More than nine in 10
Christians are white, which is slightly higher than in the general population.
Far more Catholics (27.5%) than Anglicans (8.9%) attend church once a week or
more.
The report is intended
to fill a gap in reliable up-to-date statistics about the state of Christianity, and particularly Catholicism. It
drew on data from British Social Attitudes surveys between 1983 and 2014.
“Churches need to take this kind of data very
seriously,” said Bullivant. “When analysing data you see patterns that you
might not necessarily notice otherwise. This can flag up areas for further
research or groups that need particular pastoral attention.”
A spokesperson for the
Church of England said: “The increase in those identifying as ‘no faith’
reflects a growing plurality in society rather than any increase in secularism
or humanism. We do not have an increasingly secular society as much as a more
agnostic one.
“In a global context,
adherence to religion is growing rather than decreasing. Christianity remains
the world’s largest religion with over 2 billion adherents. In the UK the
latest census found the overwhelming majority of people to have a faith.”
Mark O’Toole, the
Catholic bishop of Plymouth, said the report demonstrated “the challenge to
Christian evangelisation in this country” and would “help hone priorities”.
He added: “The church
is committed to reaching out to those who are seeking meaning in their lives
and helping them discover the joy of an encounter with Christ.”
“Churches need to take this kind of data very
seriously,” said Bullivant. “When analysing data you see patterns that you
might not necessarily notice otherwise. This can flag up areas for further
research or groups that need particular pastoral attention.”
A spokesperson for the
Church of England said: “The increase in those identifying as ‘no faith’
reflects a growing plurality in society rather than any increase in secularism
or humanism. We do not have an increasingly secular society as much as a more
agnostic one.
“In a global context,
adherence to religion is growing rather than decreasing. Christianity remains
the world’s largest religion with over 2 billion adherents. In the UK the latest
census found the overwhelming majority of people to have a faith.”
Mark O’Toole, the
Catholic bishop of Plymouth, said the report demonstrated “the challenge to
Christian evangelisation in this country” and would “help hone priorities”.
He added: “The church
is committed to reaching out to those who are seeking meaning in their lives
and helping them discover the joy of an encounter with Christ.”
( source ; inter
nate & flipboard )
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