UK one of the least observant countries in Europe

[Dartzap]

BBC

'One in 10' attends church weekly
One in 10 people in the UK attends church every week and one in seven goes once a month, according to research.
Christian charity Tearfund's survey of 7,000 people puts the UK among Europe's four least observant countries.

Two-thirds of those polled had not been to church in the last year, except for baptisms, weddings or funerals - but 53% identified themselves as Christian.

Tearfund said nearly three million more people would attend regularly if given the "right invitation".

It said churches could do more to offer encouragement to potential worshippers.

The poll, conducted last year among people aged 16 and over, suggests that one in four UK adults attends church at least once a year.

'Difficult circumstances"

Tearfund said 53% of people identified themselves as Christian, compared with almost three-quarters who had in the last census in 2001.

But it said that its survey indicated that three million people who had stopped going to church, or who had never been in their lives, would consider attending "given the right invitation".

This could be a personal invite, the chance to accompany a relative or friend, or the offer of help during difficult personal circumstances, it said.

Tearfund's president, Elaine Storkey, told BBC Radio Five Live that a lot of people would be unsure what to expect if they did visit.

"The church for a lot of people is a very strange place these days. They're not familiar with what's going on inside the building, with the form of service, with the way people gather, with what they say, how they pray.

"So the first thing they have really got to wake up to is that there is this big cultural gap between churched and non-churched."

The Reverend Lynda Barley, head of research and statistics for the Church of England Archbishops' Council, said Britain was a nation "seeking identity".

"At first glance, the past has been left behind to wholeheartedly embrace individual choice and secular consumerism prominently among its modern-day gods," she said.

"But research is beginning to show that there is more, far more, going on out of apparent sight in everyday life in Britain today."

The report, Churchgoing in the UK, found that Northern Ireland was the most observant region, with 45% of people attending services every month.

Regular churchgoing was also three times higher among adults from black ethnic groups than white.

Yeah 53% make a country Christian. Out of 3000. Right. Ah well, as the National Trust buys all the churches, they can sell 'em for a profit

[Hillary]

"Secular consumerism". What the fuck is this? I guess it must be different from the religious consumerism of, let's say, Easter or Christmas (the biggest consumer event by far).

I love the way the CoE always associate greed and lack of morals with secularism (actually, she probably meant atheism but what's in a name ) when the church itself invests in companies like BAE Systems.

Nice to see that Northern Ireland has the highest church attendance in the UK. It shows what a fantastically positive effect religion can have on a society.

[Rye]

One of the local churches here has been an indian restaurant for 20 years. Much better use of the site. Almost everyone I know is an atheist, I think the christian thing is just because it's drilled into you at school that you're a christian.

[Mange]

It's even less here in Sweden. According to official statistics from 2003, less than 5 % of the population had attended church "more than five times in the last 12 month period".

[Teleros]

Well I think we are technically a Christian nation, but would you believe in God if he was a wet as the Church of England makes him out to be? Ok stupid question on this board, but you get the idea.

[Dartzap]

Well I think we are technically a Christian nation, but would you believe in God if he was a wet as the Church of England makes him out to be? Ok stupid question on this board, but you get the idea.

True.

Oh yes, having seen this article at college, I did snap poll of around fifty people (around 4 classes of 17-19 year olds) Between us, we know a grand total of fivereligious people.

Conclusive proof! it was a very representative of the overall population! /sarcasm!

[Teebs]

I think basically if you ask (most) people in the UK what religion they are they'll um and er and then say Christian, but in reality they just sort of vaguely believe there's probably a god out there but it doesn't really matter and just choose Christian because that's the background of their upbringing.

[Admiral Valdemar]

One of the churches in Lancaster was turned into a bar which was also quite tastefully done too. Last time I've ever been in a house of God, as it were.

[Vendetta]

We have one of those in Nottingham too. Quite a nice pub, albeit a franchise monstrosity (Pitcher and Piano).

But then I think Nottingham at one point had more pubs per head of population than anywhere else in England.

[Darth Raptor]

That's brilliant. The next time I'm accused of wanting to raze every church, temple and mosque in the country, I'll point out that they can make excellent taverns, restaraunts and museums.

[NeoGoomba]

Theres a club in Manhattan called Avalon that used to be a church. It was great fun ordering drinks from the pulpit, but was weird going to the coatcheck room and looking at a mural of Jesus as some plastered Asian kids are dry humping the hell out of each other underneath.

[Zac Naloen]

I've actually for many years wanted to one day buy and convert a Church into a Home. Something about it appeals to me.

When I win the lottery...

[Dartzap]

Theres a church in a nearby town that's been converted into offices for a Legal firm: One Saves your soul, the other sells it And anouther one is up for sale next to the main bus station for the area.

Amusingly enough, the majority of the ones closing down and being sold are the modern ones, all the old gothic ones are the ones getting all the cash for the repairs they always need.

[Wicked Pilot]

What are the numerical trends for Islam though? And do you have an opinion on such?

[salm]

Yeah, the chruches have to sell their property because many people are leaving church and therefore don´t have to pay church taxes anymore. So the churches are unable to maintain the builidings which is really expensive and so they sell them. Here´s a picture of appartements in a former church:

[salm]

I´m still waiting for the first brothel in a church.

[Wicked Pilot]

I´m still waiting for the first brothel in a church.

Would it be missionary position only?




yeah that was corney

[General Zod]

I´m still waiting for the first brothel in a church.

Well, Denver's one step towards that. We've already got a goth night club that was made from a church called, appropriately, The Church.

[Faram]

This is the parking lot outside my churtch today.



It feels good knowing that not many cares about a dude that died on a stick about 2000 years ago.

[Mange]

I can't say that I'm surprised, Faram. You should see the number of cars (or rather the lack of them) parked outside the church down the road from me...

[andrewgpaul]

Theres a church in a nearby town that's been converted into offices for a Legal firm: One Saves your soul, the other sells it And anouther one is up for sale next to the main bus station for the area.

Amusingly enough, the majority of the ones closing down and being sold are the modern ones, all the old gothic ones are the ones getting all the cash for the repairs they always need.

That's because the modern buildings are horrible eyesores, while the huge gothic piles are at least impressive to look at.