Census Suggests Christians a Minority in England and Wales
Less than half of the population in England and Wales described themselves as Christian in last year’s census, the government’s Office for National Statistics revealed yesterday. This is the first time since the Anglo-Saxon settlement after the fall of Rome that Christianity is a minority religion in England and Wales.
- Only 46 percent, or 27.5 million people, described themselves as Christian.
- The religion question on the 2021 census was voluntary; 94 percent of census participants responded to the question.
How does this compare? During the last census in 2011, this figure in England and Wales was 59.3 percent. That’s a drop of 13.3 percentage points.
In the latest census, “Christian” was still the most popular response. The second-most popular answer was “no religion,” at 37.2 percent—up from 25.2 percent in 2011. Meanwhile, 6.5 percent and 1.7 percent of participants responded with Muslim and Hindu, respectively—both increases from 2011.
Regional differences: Wales had a greater drop in Christians than the survey as a whole. There are now more irreligious people in Wales than professing Christians. In England, London was the most religiously diverse region: 25.3 percent of participants put an answer other than Christian. The results for Scotland will be released later.
The big picture: Religion used to play an important role in British society. The Bible translation commissioned by King James i of England became one of the most influential texts ever published. Throughout Britain’s history, religion has influenced everything from government to culture to Empire to the role of the monarchy. Britain’s disassociation with its biblical heritage is bound to affect all levels of society. This means profound changes in Britain’s path, and not for the better. To learn why, read The United States and Britain in Prophecy, by Herbert W. Armstrong.
