Protestantism in The United Kingdom Today
Although the Protestant faith has had a profound effect on the United Kingdom in past centuries, statistics now show a steady decline in church membership and attendance in these countries. According to the BBC, church attendance in the UK has dwindled in the past fifty years. This is not just a decline in the Church of England or other Protestant churches but in all religious establishments. BBC also says that 26% of people over the age of 65 attend church as opposed to the 11% of those between the ages of 16 and 44 who attend church. This may suggest that the new generation of people in England is not being drawn into churches today. It will be difficult for England to return to their religious roots in the future if new generations are not influenced now. Britannica Online points out the fact that the Church of England have more members currently than other churches, but there is greater dedication among members of these non-conformist congregations. The Office for National Statistics confirmed in their 2001 census that 15% of people in England do not claim any religion. Research by Vexen Crabtree in 2005 concluded that the number of citizens who belong to a religion and attend services at any church has decreased by 41% in 41 years while those who say they do not belong to any religion and are not attending services increased by 35% in the same amount of time. These facts point to the increasing secularization of the country of England.
Scotland has had a long history of devout Protestantism manifesting itself in Presbyterianism. However, today the Church of Scotland is weakening as a state church and church membership in the country is declining. According to research founded in the city of St. Peters, only 10% of members in the church actually attend services regularly. The Church of Scotland has become a church of casual membership in the past few decades. However, just because membership in the state church has decreased, this does not mean that Presbyterianism itself has decreased as well. More independent congregational churches may be thriving in the country.
Wales is another country where church membership is becoming a mere nominal association. Although the majority of citizens are members of Protestant and non-conformist churches, the culture has become increasingly secular. Roman Catholicism is also making a slight return to the country as it has recently become a growing minority.
Northern Ireland, which has always been the most predominately Catholic country in the United Kingdom, is now the most diverse country of the UK. Catholics are still the majority in Northern Ireland, but Presbyterians total more than one-fifth of the population. And even though Catholics and Presbyterians are obviously the two largest majorities, Northern Ireland's diversity results in several other minorities existing in the country today.
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