Christian faith on rise despite ‘age time bomb’

RELIGIOUS AFFAIRS EDITOR RECENT reports heralding the imminent demise of Christianity may have been greatly exaggerated, a survey has indicated.

Although only a small increase, the proportion of Britons who describe themselves as Christian has risen one percentage point over the past year from 42 per cent to 43 per cent.

It corresponds with a onepoint fall in the number of so-called “nones” – those who describe themselves as having no religion – from 49 per cent to 48 per cent.

The variations are too small to be regarded as statistically significant in themselves but will still offer some comfort to those praying for an end to the decline in Christianity.

Perhaps most strikingly, there was a three-point fall in the number of adults under 25 identifying themselves as non-believers.

Religious belief is still a minority view among younger people, with 62 per cent describing themselves as non-believers, down from 65 per cent a year earlier.

“No religion” became the biggest faith group in the survey seven years ago, when it reached 51 per cent of respondents, but has since drifted. The number describing themselves as Christian is now at the same level as stated seven years ago.

But experts on religious trends warned that the levelling off could be the “pause at the edge of the cliff” before the oldest, most religious generation dies.

While among the young, non-believers outnumber the religious two-to-one, the proportions are almost exactly the opposite among pensioners.

Dr Abby Day, a sociologist and expert on religion in society at Goldsmiths, University of London, argued that the churches, particularly the Church of England, are facing a “demographic time bomb” because of their heavy reliance on the oldest generation.

“I think this could be the pause at the edge of the cliff.

“I don’t think anybody, except the most deluded clergy locked away somewhere, will disagree with that.”