We can see a nationwide phenomenon of loss of open Christian worship. We can see Christian institutions vanish across the nation, with England and Wales losing over 60% of their Anglican colleges by 2004. This trend with less youth interested in Christianity is also seen in teenage Sunday School attendance – practically eradicated to under 5% in England by 2000. With the next generation seemingly being so disinterested in Christianity perhaps Britain will be forced into secularity. Conversely, there is the rollercoaster of immigration’s affect on Britain’s religious communities. In Britain there was 1.5 million Muslims by 1990, a large but minority group being introduced to a ‘Christian’ nation. This religion has had its impact on other communities in Britain, as by mid 1990s there was an estimated 5,000-10,000 converts to Islam. Islam did follow a similar pattern to Christianity, however, in terms of worship – in 1991, only 20-30% of Muslims identified as belonging to a centre of worship. This rejection is seen in our milestones, with an astonishing 618% rise in humanist weddings and funerals from 1998-2003, and a survey showed an almost 40% raised demand for non-religious funerals. George Bernard Shaw has stated ‘Bible-smashing is tedious to people who have smashed their Bibles’, which can sum up the attitude to a passive nation.
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