Figures Show Christianity In Decline In UK But Growing Elsewhere

Newly revealed statistics reveal that while the number of professing Christians in the England and Wales continues to decline, the numbers worldwide are holding steady, and remain at 1910 levels.

Overall the picture seems to be one of a faith that is becoming more popular in the Southern hemisphere, while it wains in Northern countries.

The Government’s annual Citizenship Survey which polled 10,000 people in the two countries, shows a decline of 10% in five years of those who choose to call themselves Christian.

The numbers for those who claim to have no religion at all, was up by 6% in the same period.

According to the findings, while Christianity remains the most prevalent faith in England and Wales, Christians are less than half as likely to attend a place of worship as followers of other faiths.

Muslims however were most likely to combine profession and practise.

The report said: "While Christianity remained the most prevalent faith in England and Wales, between 2005 and 2010 there was a steady decrease in the proportion of people who identified themselves as Christian.

"Christian people were much less likely than all the other main religions to say that they practised their religion, while Muslim people were the most likely to practise their religion."

The survey comes as a comprehensive study by Pew Research finds there are 2.18 billion Christians of all ages around the world, representing nearly a third of the estimated 2010 global population of 6.9 billion.

The study, which took in 200 countries found that Christians are also geographically widespread, that no single continent or region can be described as the centre of global Christianity.

Pew Research figures show that now 24 per cent of Christians are to be found in sub-Saharan Africa, and 13per cent in Asia and the Pacific.

Overall global Christianity has tripled in size from the estimated 600 million in 1910, Islam remains the world’s second largest religion at around 1.6 million.

The government’s annual Citizenship Survey was set up in 2001 by the Labour government, but the present Government has decided to axe it because of its £4 million cost.