to think the census data on religion should mean some changes to how we view the Church of England in this country

[cakeorwine]

ONS data on religion released today

For the first time in a census of England and Wales, less than half of the population (46.2%, 27.5 million people) described themselves as “Christian”, a 13.1 percentage point decrease from 59.3% (33.3 million) in 2011; despite this decrease, “Christian” remained the most common response to the religion question.

“No religion” was the second most common response, increasing by 12.0 percentage points to 37.2% (22.2 million) from 25.2% (14.1 million) in 2011.

You can find out about your area here

www.ons.gov.uk/peoplepopulationandcommunity/culturalidentity/religion/bulletins/religionenglandandwales/census2021

An interesting map is available - you can zoom in to local areas
The number of Christians is falling. Still a high percentage but less than half the population of England and Wales say they are Christian.

Christianity could mean Catholicism, C of E and other Christian faiths.

So should this mean we look at 'the State Religion', having Bishops in the House of Lords and the link between the Monarch being the Head of the Church of England. Basically - look at distestablishing the Church of England from the State.

Yes absolutely. The thread on Rememberence Sunday really highlighted this.

Yes, 100%. We should be a secular state.

100%

Top of my list is keeping the bloody shops open past 4pm on Sundays! Archaic.

Watching escape to the chateau the other day I was surprised that only civil ceremonies are classed as legally binding in France, as they're not a religious state, hadn't occured to me before.

As a Christian and local Methodist lay preacher I 100% agree that we should be a secular state

NO to church schools. Church and state should be separate.

Most liberal Christians think like I do by the way in case anyone thinks Christians or churches want this

Agree, separate and be secular.

I'm on the fence with this one. Christianity also underpins a lot of western culture and laws.

YABU. Our culture, laws, democracy, literature, language, constitution and social norms are based around Christian values and narratives. Despite this, we are still regarded as an open and diverse country so our Christian heritage isn’t detrimental to society - in fact as the recent events with the queen showed - it could be argued it adds a richness and gravitas to our national life in a way secularism wouldn’t.

…And ‘just under half’ the country is still a significant number!

Top of my list is keeping the bloody shops open past 4pm on Sundays! Archaic

Because people in retail don’t have it bad enough?!?

I think there should be a true separation of church and state, but there should be an active role of the Christian church in national events. One of this issues I do see is that there are problems with a lack of shared beliefs and shared “rituals”. These things help glue people together for example all singing a hymn at a remembrance service.

There should also be a lot more focus on teaching Christianity in schools, not necessarily as a religious thing, but to create a man deep understanding of Christianity, which shaped much of the modern western world.

Exactly and it means still more people identify as Christian than anything else

Not unreasonable! I was cheered by this news, and only have one (1) friend who’s a Christian, everybody else is atheist, nice to see this reflected in the census. And how many people say they’re “C of E” when asked, even though they don’t believe in God or go to church? Lots of my patients did when I had to ask them about religion as a nurse, it’s more a “British identification” than a true belief.

71% in 2001, just over 46% in 2021, Christianity is firmly on the decline

What would it matter if there was a separation of the C of E and State?

How many people would say there are C of E?

Christianity would still exist. But it would be separate from the State.

"For the first time" - what about before, say, 500AD?

I'm an Anglican. I have always argued for the disestablishment of the church from the state. And while we are at it could we disestablish the monarchy, which is an even older anachronism?

I wouldn't be too hasty to be rid of it,as an atheist I still understand we work on principles and morales that come from Christianity.

If we want to get rid we need to replace that moral, ethical teaching

Just like to let you know that Bradford is doing fine thanks. Take your racist views somewhere else.

No one is getting rid of the C of E

Just that it's role and status as part of the State needs changing.

As if retail workers don't have it hard enough already. Give them a night off.

When I worked in hospitality sometimes we'd shut early on a Monday (our quietest day) and people got furious about it! People who don't have a regular Monday to Friday working schedule already struggle enough. You can go to the shops at any other time.

I'm not religious but I do enjoy that Sundays are a peaceful day and evening for many (unless you work in hospitality 🤣) and it should stay that way.

Im not sure about becoming secular. I am not religious but I loved singing hymns at school and also loved Christmas carol services/nativity. There's something to be said for it being nice, comforting and nostalgic for many, it doesn't mean you need to believe in it. Are we going to ban fairy tales next?

Im not sure about becoming secular. I am not religious but I loved singing hymns at school and also loved Christmas carol services/nativity. There's something to be said for it being nice, comforting and nostalgic for many, it doesn't mean you need to believe in it. Are we going to ban fairy tales next

No one is getting rid of hymns or Christmas cards or carol services or the Nativity.

Just a separation of the C of E and State.

I am sure Christmas and all the things around it will continue.

The Humanist Society campaign for the abolition of the automatic right to have bishops in the House of Lords, as well as an end to faith schools.

I was very cheered by the news this morning. The UK should be a secular state by now. We should also abolish the monarchy, killing two birds with one stone.