FAITH is diversifying somewhat than disappearing from Britain, in accordance with a study of people that have undergone change of their religious belief. Its authors suggest that a “quiet but profound” transformation of the landscape of religion is under way.
The study of 2774 adult participants found a small but “noticeable” move towards Paganism and Wicca for those leaving organised religion. Islam has also experienced modest growth in converts. But the “predominant destination” for those leaving organised religion is secularism.
The study by the think tank, the Institute for the Impact of Faith in Life, sought to uncover the complexity behind national census figures that show that fewer people now discover as Christian: 46 per cent within the 2021 census. Simply concluding that Britain was becoming a post-religious society was too simplistic, when, “while the Christian label is falling, religion itself has not simply vanished, it’s changing form,” the report, The Changing Landscape of Faith in Britain, says.
“In short, Britain today is neither uniformly secular nor unambiguously Christian. It is religiously plural, with Christianity now not dominant and non-affiliation at record highs, but with many other faiths and latest spiritualities on the rise. The concept that religion will soon be extinct oversimplifies this complex transition.”
The “busiest corridor” away from faith was for those leaving the Christian faith. Yet Christianity can be the preferred faith to maneuver into, although latest Christians usually tend to discover as “other” Christian somewhat than Anglican, Roman Catholic, or Pentecostal.
“This trend points toward a repatterning of Christian identity, somewhat than institutional loyalty, where the emphasis lies on direct spiritual experience and a private relationship with Jesus over institutional belonging,” the report says.
Overall, the survey found that 44 per cent said that that they had left Christianity, while 17 per cent had converted to the religion; 83 per cent of leavers had grow to be agnostic or atheist, 11 per cent said that they were spiritual, and three per cent had converted to Buddhism, and two per cent to Islam.
Those who had moved away said that it was due to lacking belief in God, and having doubts about doctrine. Young people, particularly, were more prone to say that that they had left owing to disagreement over Christian teachings.
The survey also asked respondents concerning the impact of their conversion or leaving. Of those that had left the Christian faith, two-thirds said that that they had experienced no positive outcomes. Those who converted were far more positive about its impact, reporting a stronger sense of purpose and positive outlook.
