Rise of Secularism

• Religion in the UK

  In a 2015 survey the UK was said to be the sixth least religious country in the world

  12% of British people surveyed in 2019 claim to be CofE members and 52% have no religion

  In another study, 70% of 16-29 year olds said they have no religion.

  By 2050 projections suggest church attendance to drop below 900,000 while other religions rise (namely Hinduism and Islam)
• Christian’s are taught to practise their faith within their society (Matthew 22:21) and so a secular state might make them stop taking their faiths position in society for granted
• Jesus did not come to changed institutions or society as a whole but individuals that he encountered. Secularism would allow Christianity today to re-focus its attention on the individual
• Accepting secularisation might make Christians understand more about the people they encounter
• Christianity needs to hold on to the facts that Christ is unique and has changed the world and requires a response
• Anything that leads to Christianity not being able to proclaim itself in public is a threat to evangelism and therefore to development.
• Just because the majority of people are rejecting Christianity in the UK, it does not mean Christianity should let go of 2000 years of tradition and beliefs
• Secularism is good because we need neutrality. There should be no one system of belief that has an advantage over any others.
• Humans should have the free right to other express their religion or reject it freely.
• We should not label children as Christian or atheist children. By not doing this we can overcome our differences and look for the common goals of society. By having a religion with certain power there is a 'right' answer
• Religious extremism may be avoided with further secularisation.
• Secularism works elsewhere.