Ethnicity and Belief

• 46.2% of the UK is Christian
• 6.5% of the UK is Muslim
• 1.7% of the UK is Hindu
• 0.9% of the UK is sikh
• 0.5% of the UK is Jewish
• 0.5% of the UK is Buddhist
• 37.2% of all people in the UK are none religious in 2021 compared to 25% in 2011
• African Carribean religions are on the increase in the UK
• Pentecostal churches are the fastest growing within Christianity
• Rastafarianism is another faith, typically found in young men, that is found in African Carribean communities
• Modood et al found that unlike Asian communities Afircan Carribeans find religion as a matter of individual choice
• Pentecostalism is a Christian denomination that prioritises experience over doctorine, and provides comfort to marginalised people
• Pentecostalism is very common among African Carribean people
• Rastafarianism is a Jamacian origin religion that provide a sense of status/importance for African Carribean people
• The most common religions for Asian minority groups is Islam, Hinduism and Sikhism
• For asian communities it can be hard to sustain religion as young people are growing up with equal opportunity laws (etc) and some values in their religions are under pressure to change
• Bruce argues religion can act as a ’cultural defense’ for the customs/traditions of ethnic minorities
• Davie says Mosques and Sikh tample server as community centres as well as place of worship
• Post-modernists argue traditional values are under threat sue to society fragmentisation allowing for a freedom of values
• People can turn to teligion as a source of status within their own community
• Religion for ethnic minorities can provide many markers of idenitity, which allow members to resist the denial of their status and devaluing of their own culture
• Johal says younger British Asians have developed a ’Brasian’ identity
• Religion helped immigrants deal eith the stress lf adjusting to a new culture