Majority of Scots say they have no religion for first time.

Church has to find a way to reach people as the majority have no religion

A majority of Scottish people consider themselves of no religion for the first time.

More than 51% of respondents to the Scottish Government’s Scottish Households Survey stated they had no religion.

The figure has been steadily growing since 2010, when it was a little over 40%.

Dundee was one of the least religious areas, with more than 65% of people saying they have no religion – only the Lothians and Edinburgh are higher.

The data – from the Government’s rolling survey of the Scottish population – came as one of the Church of Scotland’s most senior figures said it faces a “drift into irrelevance and obscurity” unless its focus moves from traditional church services with hymns to smartphones.

The grim analysis by the Very Rev Dr John Chalmers, former Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland and an Honorary Chaplain to the Queen, comes against a background of dramatically declining church attendance.

The number of people who regularly attend church services in Scotland has fallen by more than half over the last 30 years, according to a survey earlier this year – with the Kirk among the biggest casualties.

Writing in next month’s edition of the Church of Scotland’s house magazine, Life and Work, Dr Chalmers says the traditional church model is “not the future.”

“Analysis of past failures is one thing but it is an altogether different challenge to look deep into the future and describe the shape of things to come.

“It is particularly difficult in relation to the church, when what is really needed is a transformation so far reaching that the church of tomorrow may bear little resemblance to the church of recent generations.”

He continued: “The real truth today is that at the intersection of the church and real people, living on real streets, the rubber is not hitting the road and the traditional patterns of church life (with which I have been so comfortable) are not going to change that.

“People will not embrace old dogmas which may have been understandable in an age of less knowledge.

“Only a faith which speaks to the deepest needs of human life will be transformative for both individuals and the communities they belong to.

“So, we need to become a church which thinks seriously about how we support the widest possible range of people on their spiritual journey.

“One of the tools for this is now quite literally in our hands.

“A whole new generation cannot be separated from their smartphones and tablets.

“In these there is the power to help to sustain people on their spiritual journey and nourish their inner life.”

The Scottish Households Survey also showed a fall in climate change deniers, with almost 9% of people considering themselves thus, compared to nearly 13% in 2013.

Angus had the highest proportion with almost a quarter while the figure in neighbouring Dundee is just 2%.

Picture: Steve MacDougall. The number of people who regularly attend church services in Scotland has fallen by more than half over the last 30 years, and church buildings are falling into disrepair as a result of lack of finances to maintain properties.