Fewer than half of the English are Christian
But almost 100,000 identify as Cornish, census reveals
HEADLINES from the 2021 census reveal a significant fall in the number of people calling themselves Christian – and a big jump in those who identify as Cornish.
The figures, picked out from a mass of data provided by the census for England and Wales, demonstrate that fewer than half of the population of England and Wales now call themselves Christian, down from almost 60% ten years ago. However, in Cornwall, almost 80,000 said they were Cornish while, significantly, declining to described themselves as English or British too. A total of 9,000 people in Cornwall identified as both Cornish and another UK nationality as well.
Despite the big drop in those declaring themselves Christian across the country, people in the South West are more likely than many in other parts of Britain to retain a Christian outlook.
The census showed South West England is the least religiously diverse region, with just 3.2% selecting a religion other than Christian.
The Bishop of Crediton, the Right Reverend Jackie Searle, told the Western Morning News: ““The Church of England is not complacent about its place in society, and much of the work we currently do is about engaging with people where they are and not expecting them to just come to us.”
THE proportion of people in England and Wales identifying as Christian has fallen below 50% for the first time, according to census data.
In parts of the rural South West, a higher proportion of residents – between 50.1% and 52.7% – said they did identify as Christian, while the proportion for those following other religions, including Muslim, Buddhist, Sikh and Jewish, was far lower, between 0% and 0.5% in most cases.
Only in Plymouth and Exeter was the proportion of those identifying as Christian lower, at 42.5% in Plymouth and 40% in Exeter.
Nationally, some 46.2% of the population described themselves as Christian on the day of the 2021 census, down from 59.3% a decade earlier, the Office for National Statistics (ONS) said. This is the first time the proportion has dropped below half.
The percentage of people saying they had no religion jumped from around a quarter in 2011 (25.2%) to over a third in 2021 (37.2%).
The Bishop of Crediton, the Right Reverend Jackie Searle, responsible for a large swathe of rural Devon, said: “The census chimes with what we experience – that more people are identifying as non-religious, and this is not a surprise. In the past, ticking ‘Christian’ may have been for some the default position, and that has been shifting over the past decades.
“Other surveys consistently show that that many people, whether identifying as Christian or not, still seek spiritual truth, wisdom in making decisions, and values to live by.
“There is a strong sense in the UK of the importance of values to shape our personal and public life, such as respect for all people, living with integrity and honesty, justice and fairness, and care for those most in need. These values could be summed in the words of Jesus: ‘Love your neighbour as yourself.’
“The Church of England is not complacent about its place in society and much of the work we currently do is about engaging with people where they are and not expecting them to just come to us.”.
“For me personally, the way of Jesus Christ is the best way to live – to be loved by God, to know I can find forgiveness and strength for each day, to be able to pray for others and for the world. This is the bedrock of my life. The Christian faith is an invitation – it is an offer the Church will continue to make, along with serving our communities and putting our faith into practice.”
She added that many churches are also offering regular warm spaces to help people through the energy crisis.
The census showed increases in the proportion of people describing themselves as Muslim (up from 4.9% to 6.5%) and Hindu (from 1.5% to 1.7%).
London remains the most religiously diverse region of England, with just over a quarter (25.3%) of people on the day of the 2021 census reporting a religion other than Christian. South West England is the least religiously diverse region, with 3.2% selecting a religion other than Christian.
The religion question was voluntary on the 2021 census but was answered by 94.0% of the population of England and Wales, up from 92.9% in 2011, the ONS added.
The Archbishop of York said the country had “left behind the era when many people almost automatically identified as Christian”.
The Most Reverend Stephen Cottrell said: “It’s not a great surprise that the census shows fewer people in this country identifying as Christian than in the past, but it still throws down a challenge to us not only to trust that God will build his kingdom on Earth but also to play our part in making Christ known.”
Humanists UK ran a campaign in the run-up to the 2011 and 2021, censuses encouraging non-religious people to tick the “no religion” box on the form. Its chief executive, Andrew Copson, said the figures should be a “wake-up call which prompts fresh reconsiderations of the role of religion in society”.
Mr Copson said: “These results confirm that the biggest demographic change in England and Wales of the last 10 years has been the dramatic growth of the non-religious. They mean the UK is almost certainly one of the least religious countries on Earth.”
The 2021 census was carried out on March 21 last year.