The new portrayal of a much smaller Christian population could have profound implications in Britain, as the Church of England is deeply entrenched in British traditions and government.
British monarch, now King III.
Tens of thousands of Anglican churches still dot the landscape of Britain, where “pubs and neighborhoods” have traditionally been the heart of village life. But many of these churches are struggling.
the government Office of National Statistics (ONS) announced on Tuesday that 46 percent of the population (27.5 million people) in England and Wales identify themselves as “Christian” in 2021, up from 59 percent (33.3 million people) in 2011.
“No religion” was the second most common response, rising from 25 percent (14.1 million people) to 37 percent (22.2 million people) in 2011. Figures for Scotland will come later.
“We are past the era when so many people almost automatically identify as Christians,” Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell said in a statement.
Cottrell saw the numbers certainly as a challenge, not a defeat, and said that “other surveys consistently show how the same people are still chasing spiritual truth, wisdom, and a set of values.”
It’s not surprising that the census has fewer people identifying as Christians in this country than in the past, but it still poses a challenge for us to trust that only God will establish his kingdom on Earth. but also to do our part in promoting Christ.”
In their report on the census, the ONS researchers wrote that there are many factors “such as different patterns of aging, fertility, mortality and migration” that could contribute to Britain’s changing religious landscape.
Answering the census was optional and the question was broad: “What is your religion?” Experts warned that many respondents may have religious views or spiritual beliefs not covered in the survey.
However, census findings are visible to anyone attending a Sunday service in England. In many settings, the number of congregations has decreased and the participants are older. And in major cities, many church buildings have been converted into community and arts centers, concert halls, and even residences.
analysis Church of England data The Telegraph newspaper found that 423 churches were closed between 2010 and 2019.
The same data reveals that 940 churches were closed between 1987 and 2019. The newspaper reported that the total number of surviving churches was around 15,500.
The census revealed more changes.
There was an increase in the proportion of people who identify as Muslim (from 4.9 percent to 6.5 percent) and Hindu (from 1.5 percent to 1.7 percent). Britain’s new prime minister, Rishi Sunak, is a Hindu. The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, is a Muslim.
CEO Andrew Copson Humanists United Kingdom“These results confirm that the largest demographic change in England and Wales in the last decade has been the dramatic increase in the non-religious population. It means that the UK is almost certainly one of the least religious countries in the world.”
Copson’s group advocates segregation of religion in England, from the House of Lords to classrooms where a third of England’s public schools are Christian.
“No state in Europe has such a religious order in terms of law and public policy as we do, but also has such a non-religious population,” Copson said. It is a call that leads to a reassessment of the role of religion in society.”
Reflecting these changes after his accession, Charles reaffirmed his role As supreme governor of the Church of England, he said, but at the same time, “I have to respect those who follow other spiritual paths as well as those who want to live their lives according to secular ideals.”
The declining number of people who profess to be Christians in England and Wales follow extensive studies of religious practice in Western Europe, where the Vatican in Rome serves as the heart of the Catholic faith and Germany is the original font for Protestant Christianity.
In a landmark review, Pew Research Center In 2018, he found that while the vast majority of adults in Western Europe said they were baptized, today 71 percent self-identified as Christian and 22 percent attended monthly services.
