| Return to letter |
 |
|
| Return to letter |
|
|
 |
Sunday
28
May 2000
Survey charts the
Soul of Britain
GOD is alive and well in the hearts and minds of British people, according to one of the most extensive surveys on religious belief ever conducted. Increasing numbers of people are convinced that they have a soul and that there is life after death. A belief in hell, the Devil and damnation shows little sign of vanishing. Sixty-two per cent of those surveyed said they believe in the Almighty. While that figure has fallen from 76 per cent in 1980, 69 per cent now say they believe they have a soul, compared to 64 per cent 10 years ago. Slightly more than half said they trust in an afterlife, an increase from 44 per cent over the same period. The findings have emerged from a survey into the values and beliefs of the British, commissioned by the BBC for a new television series, Soul of Britain. Religious leaders and theologians hailed the figures as clear evidence that a vibrant religious faith remains at the core of national life. The Rt Rev Stephen Sykes, the retired bishop of Ely and a former theology professor, said: "This very much confirms what happened on the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, when people who were confronted by a tragic crisis fell back upon residual spiritual faith. Continual decline in faith is absolutely not inevitable." The poll, conducted by Opinion Research Business among a representative sample of 1,000 people, reveals that while the British may retain their faith in God, they are uncertain about their personal moral judgments and the direction the country is taking. About 49 per cent said they fear the nation is going in the "wrong direction", citing concerns about crime, under-funding of the NHS and unemployment. The survey also points to an increasing tendency for people to turn their backs on traditional worship in favour of a less structured approach to practising their faith. Many are drawn by the tenets of New Age religion, eastern beliefs and established orthodoxies to construct their own view of life. Those who regard themselves as belonging to a particular religion have declined from 58 per cent in 1990 to 48 per cent now, with the biggest drop - 15 per cent - suffered by the Church of England. Despite this, church-going does not appear to have fallen as much as official statistics suggest, with 23 per cent saying they had attended a service within the last month, the same as 10 years ago. After abandoning the institutional Church, the survey confirmed, however, that a large number of people still want their births, marriages and deaths marked by church services. Belief in a personal God has fallen from 41 per cent in 1957 to 32 per cent in 1990 and 26 per cent now. Just 23 per cent said the Bible was the unique word of God, while 28 per cent said it was a holy book like others, and 24 per cent regard it as part of the country's cultural heritage, like the plays of William Shakespeare. While most people believe in Jesus, they are less orthodox when it comes to his status, with only 34 per cent saying they believe he was the son of God. Most people - 61 per cent - now believe him to have been mortal or a character in a story. Some 32 per cent said they believe in the Devil and 28 per cent in hell - figures that have changed little over 20 years. Nearly half think that the decline in traditional religion makes Britain a worse country in which to live, while a large number of people want church leaders to speak out on issues such as poverty and the family. Despite the high divorce rate, 80 per cent disagreed that marriage was an outdated institution, and 76 per cent said they expected it to last a lifetime. Most people chose a mother or father, rather than an authority figure, as the main influence on their lives when it came to moral choices. Three-quarters thought there could never be clear guidance about what was right and wrong. The poll was conducted between April 25 and May 7. Soul of Britain,
presented by Michael Buerk, will be broadcast on BBC 1 on Sundays from
June 4.
21
May 2000: Alarm over Church talks with Druids
|
