Census 2021 reveals less than half of those in England and Wales identify as Christian, down from almost 60% ten years ago.

essentialsaltes · Nov 29, 2022

For the first time fewer than half of people in England and Wales describe themselves as Christian, the Census 2021 has revealed.
The proportion of people who said they were Christian was 46.2%, down from 59.3% in the last census in 2011.
In contrast the number who said they had no religion increased to 37.2% of the population, up from a quarter.
Those identifying as Muslim rose from 4.9% in 2011 to 6.5% last year.

Don't Panic · Nov 29, 2022

Maybe we ought to institute a religious education requirement for publicly funded schools like they have in England.

lismore · Nov 29, 2022

essentialsaltes said:
The proportion of people who said they were Christian was 46.2%, down from 59.3% in the last census in 2011.

That seems mighty high, when regular church attendance is in the single figures. Actual practising Christians might be more like the 6.2% than the 46.2%. God Bless

Ignatius the Kiwi · Nov 29, 2022

I hear the Bishop of Canterbury couldn't be more happy about this news.

Brihaha · Nov 29, 2022

I hope their census workers were more competent than the American census was in 2020. I have a feeling they were a bit more accurate than ours was.

Bradskii · Nov 29, 2022

Don't Panic said:
Maybe we ought to institute a religious education requirement for publicly funded schools like they have in England.

Any particular religion you were thinking of..?

Hans Blaster · Nov 29, 2022

Ignatius the Kiwi said:
I hear the Bishop of Canterbury couldn't be more happy about this news.

Didn't realize his numbers were that high?

Ignatius the Kiwi · Nov 29, 2022

Hans Blaster said:
Didn't realize his numbers were that high?

He probably expected them to be higher but was pleasantly surprised that they were as low as they are. Of course I think it's Welby's goal to get the number lower by the end of his tenure.

Hans Blaster · Nov 29, 2022

Ignatius the Kiwi said:
He probably expected them to be higher but was pleasantly surprised that they were as low as they are. Of course I think it's Welby's goal to get the number lower by the end of his tenure.

This doesn't make any sense. Why would the head of the Church of England want fewer English Christians?

Tuur · Nov 29, 2022

Brihaha said:
I hope their census workers were more competent than the American census was in 2020. I have a feeling they were a bit more accurate than ours was.

The 2020 American Census took place during the pandemic. A census taker came by our home with census documents, and COVID-19 protocols had just been released that day. We talked about how to proceed while we stood a good twenty feet apart in my driveway, I ended up taking the packet from her, but I think we both held our breaths.

I think ours was the last local house census workers visited, though I'm not aware of any that didn't receive documents. But that was here.,

Ignatius the Kiwi · Nov 29, 2022

Hans Blaster said:
This doesn't make any sense. Why would the head of the Church of England want fewer English Christians?

Why indeed.

Hans Blaster · Nov 29, 2022

Ignatius the Kiwi said:
Why indeed.

I guess I was asking you since you seem to think he (the archbishop) wants this or has said so. What is the support for this?

Ignatius the Kiwi · Nov 29, 2022

Hans Blaster said:
I guess I was asking you since you seem to think he (the archbishop) wants this or has said so. What is the support for this?

What has Welby done that indicates he wants to see Christianity increase?

Hans Blaster · Nov 29, 2022

Ignatius the Kiwi said:
What has Welby done that indicates he wants to see Christianity increase?

I have no idea either way. I'd never heard of him before today. (I know of the post, but not the man.)

I don't know why you make your comments. They make no sense to me.

Occams Barber · Nov 29, 2022

essentialsaltes said:
For the first time fewer than half of people in England and Wales describe themselves as Christian, the Census 2021 has revealed.
The proportion of people who said they were Christian was 46.2%, down from 59.3% in the last census in 2011.
In contrast the number who said they had no religion increased to 37.2% of the population, up from a quarter.
Those identifying as Muslim rose from 4.9% in 2011 to 6.5% last year.

Something similar has been happening in Australia.

In the 1971 Census 6.7% of Australians identified as having 'No Religion" while 86% identified as 'Christian'.

By the 2021 Census, Christians had dropped by half to 44% while 'No Religion" had increased by a factor of six to 40%.

On these trends, by the next Census, due in 2026, 'No Religion' will overtake 'Christian.

OB

Ignatius the Kiwi · Nov 29, 2022

Hans Blaster said:
I have no idea either way. I'd never heard of him before today. (I know of the post, but not the man.)

I don't know why you make your comments. They make no sense to me.

Should we judge leaders by their accomplishments and what they do? How else would you have me judge Welby as Archbishop of Canterbury? Given this decline has happened under his tenure and as far as I can see he's done nothing meaningful to address why. Why can't I assume he's happy about it?

I made my comments based on what Welby and the COE establishment has accomplished. Nothing. They are caretakers of a dying institution, in a dying country and have no real interest in seeking to revitalize either. What doesn't make sense about this assessment? You think all clergy care about Christianity?

Bradskii · Nov 29, 2022

Ignatius the Kiwi said:
Should we judge leaders by their accomplishments and what they do? How else would you have me judge Welby as Archbishop of Canterbury? Given this decline has happened under his tenure and as far as I can see he's done nothing meaningful to address why. Why can't I assume he's happy about it?

I made my comments based on what Welby and the COE establishment has accomplished. Nothing. They are caretakers of a dying institution, in a dying country and have no real interest in seeking to revitalize either. What doesn't make sense about this assessment? You think all clergy care about Christianity?

On that basis then I guess the pope is really pleased about this: Report: Church membership among Catholics declined nearly 20% since 2000

Ignatius the Kiwi · Nov 29, 2022

Bradskii said:
On that basis then I guess the pope is really pleased about this: Report: Church membership among Catholics declined nearly 20% since 2000

If those 20% are traditional Latin Mass Catholics/Conservative Catholics (the ones that believe in Catholicism) then yes, Francis is extremely happy. That's unlikely though since those are the most devout and even if they don't like Pope Francis they are the less likely to apostatize. Those 20% are the thoroughly modernized secularized segments of the Catholic Church who don't believe and that probably displeases Francis. He wants more Fr James Martins, not less.

Hans Blaster · Nov 29, 2022

Ignatius the Kiwi said:
Should we judge leaders by their accomplishments and what they do? How else would you have me judge Welby as Archbishop of Canterbury? Given this decline has happened under his tenure and as far as I can see he's done nothing meaningful to address why. Why can't I assume he's happy about it?

I made my comments based on what Welby and the COE establishment has accomplished. Nothing. They are caretakers of a dying institution, in a dying country and have no real interest in seeking to revitalize either. What doesn't make sense about this assessment?

So, what you're saying is that since he is the big Christian honcho in Britain, then the decline in British Christianity must be his fault without having any idea what he has done or failed to do? Got it.

Ignatius the Kiwi said:
You think all clergy care about Christianity?

No, some of them are clearly in it for the money.

Hans Blaster · Nov 29, 2022

Bradskii said:
On that basis then I guess the pope is really pleased about this: Report: Church membership among Catholics declined nearly 20% since 2000

Hi "Francis". Now you're talking about me. If only it was more than 20%.

(Oops, never mind. That's for people who stopped being the member of a parish, but still call themselves Catholic. I went all the way. None of these half measures.)

Census 2021 reveals less than half of those in England and Wales identify as Christian, down from almost 60% ten years ago.

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