Challenges from secularisation
Whether the UK can be called a ‘Christian Country’
Officially, Britain is a Christian country - it’s in the constitution
2011 survey: 54% of the population are affiliated with Christianity
British Social Attitudes Survey:
● Less than 15% attend church weekly
● For every single convert the Church of England loses 12 people (mainly through death).
ORB survey commissioned by the BBC (2000):
Question: ‘Which of these would you say you are?’:
● A spiritual person - 31%
● A religious person - 27%
● Not a religious person - 21%
● Convinced atheist - 8%
● Agnostic - 10%
● Not a spiritual person - 7%
● Don’t know - 5%
The decline of Christianity
Sacraments are being participated in less:
In the church of england:
● In 1950 67% of people were baptised
● 12% baptised in 2011
● 1957 72% of all marriages in England and Wales were conducted in churches
● 2000 36% in churches
Former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg stated he was ‘not a man of faith’.
Tim Farron was criticised for his faith causing his views on homosexuality.
Jacob Rees-Mogg, an up and coming Conservative MP, has been accused of letting faith
dictate politics, but he has stated that he wouldn’t let it influence his voting record.
Clergy Disqualification Act (1801) stops Church of England, Church of Scotland and Church of
Ireland clergy members from running for a seat in the House of Commons.
God Delusion (2006) was a national bestseller as it promoted science over religion.
Whether the UK can be called a ‘Christian Country’
Officially, Britain is a Christian country - it’s in the constitution
2011 survey: 54% of the population are affiliated with Christianity
British Social Attitudes Survey:
● Less than 15% attend church weekly
● For every single convert the Church of England loses 12 people (mainly through death).
ORB survey commissioned by the BBC (2000):
Question: ‘Which of these would you say you are?’:
● A spiritual person - 31%
● A religious person - 27%
● Not a religious person - 21%
● Convinced atheist - 8%
● Agnostic - 10%
● Not a spiritual person - 7%
● Don’t know - 5%
The decline of Christianity
Sacraments are being participated in less:
In the church of england:
● In 1950 67% of people were baptised
● 12% baptised in 2011
● 1957 72% of all marriages in England and Wales were conducted in churches
● 2000 36% in churches
Former deputy prime minister Nick Clegg stated he was ‘not a man of faith’.
Tim Farron was criticised for his faith causing his views on homosexuality.
Jacob Rees-Mogg, an up and coming Conservative MP, has been accused of letting faith
dictate politics, but he has stated that he wouldn’t let it influence his voting record.
Clergy Disqualification Act (1801) stops Church of England, Church of Scotland and Church of
Ireland clergy members from running for a seat in the House of Commons.
God Delusion (2006) was a national bestseller as it promoted science over religion.
