Have we overestimated the hostility towards faith in our nation and underestimated the Bible as a tool for mission? Bible Society went to 20,000 people to find out what they thought about Christianity, the Bible and faith. Now you can explore the findings of this landmark survey and better understand your local community.
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Meet the personas
Find out what people in England and Wales really think about faith and the Bible.
Young adults: faith, the Bible and the search for meaning
Bible Society's research for Lumino threw up some fascinating findings about differing attitudes to the Bible among different age groups.
Is science compatible with religion? A lot of people don't think so
Asked about whether 'science and religion are fundamentally in opposition with each other', 40 per cent said they were.
If the Bible were a person, what would it think?
Participants were asked to imagine the Bible as a person and to decide whether it would be for or against difference causes – or if it would just be silent.
People think the Bible is outdated and contradictory – but they say good things too
Participants were asked to choose five words that described their response to the Bible from a list containing positive and negative expressions.
London has the lowest proportion of Christians
It's often held up as an example of what 'works' in terms of churchgoing, but only 33 per cent of Londoners identify as Christians.
More than half of adults in England and Wales have a religious faith
But only just. Asked, ‘If you have one, which of the following best describes your religion or faith?’ 49.45 per cent said they had no religion.
More people don't believe in God than do believe
Asked about their belief in 'a God/gods or some higher power', 38 per cent said there definitely or probably was a God, while 49 per cent said there definitely or probably was not.
A quarter of adults in England and Wales want to know more about the Bible
Asked, '‘To what extent would you be interested or not in discovering more about the Bible?’ a total of 23 per cent of adults in England and Wales selected 'fairly interested' or 'very interested'.
Most Christians in England and Wales are Anglican or Catholic
Asked about which denomination they identify with, more than half of Christians – 56 per cent – said they were Church of England or Church in Wales. Just under a fifth – 17 per cent – said they were Catholic.
From our research, we’ve been able to map the spiritual ground in England and Wales based on eight distinct spiritual types or personas. We’ve badged them on the basis of their attitude to the Bible, ranging from ‘Bible Loving’ at one end to ‘Bible Dismissive’ at the other – with a complex range of attitudes in between. We’ll let them introduce themselves...
Bible Infrequent
'I want to make it a bigger part of my life, but I'm not sure how to make sense of it.'
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Bible Uncertain
'I can see it might have potential, but I'm not sure it has much to say to me.'
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Bible Nostalgic
'I like the idea that it's still there, but can it be made relevant to the next generation?'
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Bible Cultural
'It's like Nelson's Column – part of our history, but it doesn't affect my life.'
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Bible Indifferent
'I just don't care about it. I can't see why it's worth my time or energy.'
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Bible Dismissive
'I'm not going to base my life on ancient myths and legends. The Bible has no kind of authority for me.'
Learn moreHear from Bible communicators and mission practitioners about how to communicate with each of the personas.
Gen Z: The Future of Faith?
It is the generation growing up with unlimited access to the internet, provided with instant information and entertainment (‘infotainment’) and unprecedented online connection; but it also has the highest levels of loneliness, social anxiety and mental health issues.
Watch the Re-imagining Mission webinar
On 25 June we held our Re-imagining Mission webinar at the National Parliamentary Prayer Breakfast. During the webinar, leading Christian theologians, thinkers and practitioners led us in prayer, worship and discussion as we explored the question: how do we encourage one another in a prophetic re-imagining of mission?
Dr Rhiannon McAleer's presentation profiling the latest research on attitudes towards faith
These slides illustrate our changing spiritual landscape as well as opportunities and challenges for the Church as society begins to emerge from lockdown
Revisit the conversation between Paul Williams and NT Wright
During the webinar Paul Williams (our CEO) and theologian NT Wright discussed the topic of re-imagining the mission of the Church at this significant moment of transition for our nation.
Paul Williams discusses his book Exiles on Mission
In this wide-ranging interview, Paul Williams talks about lessons learned from the Jewish exile, how to be ambassadors in ‘alien’ territory and what the opportunities are for the Church in this moment of transition.
Why this is the best Christmas film since Die Hard
Bible Indifferent people are unlikely to watch Bible-themed films this Christmas, but a popular dystopian masterpiece (currently on Netflix) features a contemporary take on the nativity.
Rick Warren: Why should we read the Bible?
The author of The Purpose Driven Life talks about how the Bible can change lives.
2020 will see a major Bible Society initiative – and we'd love you to be part of it.
We've created an incredible 360º film telling the Bible story from Genesis to Revelation. Home360 is a creative interpretation of the Bible aimed at connecting with people outside the church walls. It'll be shown in special viewing domes at festivals and in major towns and cities across the UK – and it'll also be available via Virtual Reality goggles for those who can't get to one of the dome locations.
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