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What percentage of primary and secondary schools in the UK have a Christian affiliation?
30% in some regions
How many bishops sit in the House of Lords?
26
According to a 2011 census, what percentage of the population is affiliated with Christianity? And how many report attending weekly religious services?
▪ 54%
▪ Only 15%
What is the estimated overall church attendance?
What is the estimated Church of England attendance?
▪ 5%
▪ Less than 2%
According to a 2000 ORB survey, how many people claimed to be a spiritual person?
How many claimed to be a religious person?
▪ 31%
▪ 27%
What percentage of Church of England births were baptised in 1950 and 2011?
▪ 1950: 67%
▪ 2011: 12%
What percentage of marriages were in churches in 1957 and 2000?
▪ 1957: 72%
▪ 2000: 36.3%
While religious funerals are common, what do many people have instead?
▪ A 'celebration of life'
What is the general view of politicians towards religion?
▪ Often silent
Dawkins' 'The God Delusion' (2006), advancing atheism and science over religion, was a national bestseller. For how many consecutive weeks was it on the New York Times bestseller list?
▪ 51
It is relatively rare for someone to die without what?
▪ Some form of religious service
What is happening to the numbers at cathedrals amongst worshippers, pilgrims, tourists and visitors?
▪ It is growing
Give four examples of professions that often have chaplains.
▪ Health care
▪ Prison
▪ Armed forces
▪ Higher education
What was the percentage difference between the 2001 and 2011 Census for England and Wales regarding the number who stated 'no religion' and 'Christian'?
▪ No religion: 2001 - 15%; 2011 - 25%
▪ Christian: 2001 - 72%; 2011 - 59%
Which two movements are more widely presented in schools?
▪ Atheism
▪ Humanism
Give three examples of the increase in what one can do on Sunday.
▪ Increased participation in work, shopping, sport
What are many churches being turned into?
Commercial spaces
What is the issue that many people have with the 2011 Census figure of 25% of people stating 'no religion'?
▪ Many believe it underestimates the true number ∵ the question led people in the direction of giving a positive answer:
- 'What is your religion?' seemingly assumes people had one
According to a 2013 British Social Attitudes Survey, which asked 'Do you regard yourself as belonging to any particular religion?', what percentage answered 'No'?
What was the figure in 1983?
▪ 2013: 50.6%
▪ 1983: 31.4%
According to the research of sociologist Linda Woodhead, what percentage of 18-24 and 60+ year olds represented those citing 'no religion'?
What do these figures suggest?
▪ 18-24: 60%
▪ 60+: 34%
▪ 'No religion' = expanding as Christianity = diminishing
What binds the 'no religion' group together?
▪ Not hostility to religion, but simply not being part of a religious community
What is a faith school?
▪ A school associated with a r. trad.
What religion are most faith schools in the UK associated with?
▪ Christianity
In faith schools, often the governors rather than the Local Authority are responsible for the school's admission policy/appointing staff.
What are the issues with this?
What have many faith schools consequently done?
▪ Issues:
- There may be a preference for hiring teachers who adhere to the school's religion
- Might prioritise students affiliated with the religion
- Many families have attended c.ch simply to get a place
▪ Actions of many faith schools:
- Removed any faith criteria from the admissions policy
What are some advantages of faith schools?
▪ Religious grounding in education - some parents want this
▪ Tend to be among the best-performing state schools
▪ Diversity/choice to the educational landscape
▪ Values/ethics of the religion traditionally represent inclusivity, tolerance, justice, love
What are some objections to faith schools?
▪ British Humanist Association actively campaigns against faith schools ∵ believe that public funds should not be used to promote religion
▪ They give the following objections:
‣ The teaching of R.E. in faith schools ≠ specifically inspected by Ofsted
‣ Religious education aims to instruct children in doctrine/practices rather than a more objective approach
‣ R.E. in faith schools does not have to cover all religions - "almost certainly fails to give a fair account of non-religious views."
‣ Ethical issues e.g abortion/assisted suicide might be approached from an exclusively religious standpoint
‣ Some faith schools have taught creationism/intelligent design as scientific theories.
‣ PSHE can be homophobic/gender discriminatory.
As part of a study conducted by Linda Woodhead, people were asked "Why have you chosen/would you choose a faith school?"; what percentage answered 'academic standards' and what percentage answered 'transmission of belief about God'?
▪ Academic standards: 77%
▪ Transmission of belief about God: 3%
Explain the 2015 issue of the Lord's Prayer and Star Wars.
▪ CofE produced an advert to be shown at beginning of 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' showing people in diff. settings saying the Lord's Prayer
▪ Digital Cinema Media banned advert ∵ transgressed its policy of not promoting ads with politics or religious messages - thought it could offend people of "differing faiths or no faith"
▪ Outcry from leaders including Sadiq Khan, David Cameron
▪ EHRC (Equality and Human Rights Commission): "There is nothing in law that prevents Christian organisations promoting their faith through adverts."
▪ John Hegarty, advertising executive: "it [CofE] should make its views known [...] from the pulpit [...] But of course, they can't get many people to go to church so they want to take their message to the cinemas."
▪ Does the decision reflect the decreasing influence of Christianity, or does the outcry show widespread support?
Explain the 2006 case of Nadia Ewedia.
▪ BA suspended Ewedia ∵ she refused to cover up her crucifix at work even though hijabs + turbans could be worn
▪ Brought her case to court against government for not protecting their rights
▪ Won case
▪ ECHR: "the domestic authorities failed sufficiently to protect the applicant's right to manifest her religion."
▪ BA changed their policies in 2007
▪ This case, along with the cases of Shirley Chaplin, Gary McFarlane, and Lillian Ladele challenge the notion of the UK as a Christian country
Explain the 2008 case of hotel discrimination.
▪ Hotel in Cornwall owned by the Bull family refused to let two civil partners stay in a room, based on their Christian beliefs.
▪ Bristol + Supreme Courts held that they had acted unlawfully.
▪ Stonewall, homosexual rights group: would have been more 'Christian' for the Bulls to have fought poverty/disease than pursue the case.
What percentage of Christians surveyed in 1989 and 2014 disagreed with same-sex marriage?
▪ 1989: 70-80%
▪ 2014: Less than 30%
What is secularisation?
▪ The process of society moving away from religion
▪ Shown in UK by a decline in: attendance, performance of rituals, influence in government/society
Give an ethical example of how science and religion are not always opposed.
▪ Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament
How are many people disillusioned with 'modern science'?
▪ Famine persists
▪ Global warming
▪ Healthcare/prosperity have not been delivered for all
How can the decline in attendance be interpreted in a positive way from the perspective of a believer?
▪ Movement away from religion as a duty to religion as a choice ∴ those who practice may find their faith more meaningful
What could be said about the existence of many Christian initiatives such as the 'Street Pastor' movement (20,000 ppl) who provide help on the streets?
▪ 'Last gasps' of a dying religion
According to sociologists Elisabeth Arweck and James A. Beckford, what six factors should committed secularists consider?
1) Religious vitality - religion = popular for many in diff. forms
2) Nature of modernity - diff. ways of being modern; religion could be a resource for modern living when science does not provide all the solutions
3) De-privatisation - religion has helped to bring about positive social change
4) Globalisation - transnational religious movements
5) Gender - wide range of views of women's roles
6) Rational choice - religion thrives when state regulation (in the form of the est. c.ch) is lower
