The figure for people identifying as having no religion has almost doubled since 2011, outweighing the number of Christians in England and Wales.
The proportion of the population who identify as having no religion – referred to as “nones” – reached 48.5% in 2014, almost double the figure of 25% in the 2011 census. Those who define themselves as Christian – Anglicans, Catholics and other denominations – made up 43.8% of the population.
“The striking thing is the clear sense of the growth of ‘no religion’ as a proportion of the population,” said Stephen Bullivant, senior lecturer in theology and ethics at St Mary’s Catholic University in Twickenham, who analysed data collected through British Social Attitudes surveys over three decades.
Where do you find community in your life? Perhaps you attend a weekly yoga class or tend to an allotment with other gardeners? You may even identify as non-religious but enjoy visiting churches for the quiet or the music. Whether you consider yourself as religious, spiritual or neither we’d like to hear about the places that give you a sense of community.
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