Religion in England

Religion in England is made up of many different beliefs and practices. For a long time, Christianity has been the most common religion there. Today, it is still the largest religion, but fewer than half of all people in England follow it. According to the 2021 census, there are now many different beliefs, and more people do not follow any religion than follow any single religion.

The Church of England is special because it is the official state church and its leader is the monarch. Besides Christianity, other religions that many people in England follow include Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Judaism, and Buddhism. There are also groups that do not follow any religion, such as those who believe in humanism or atheism.

England is also known for its important religious buildings like Westminster Abbey, Canterbury Cathedral, and St Paul's Cathedral. Celebrations like Christmas and Easter are enjoyed by many people throughout the country.

Statistics

In surveys from 2008, about half of people in England and Wales said they were connected to the Church of England, which is also the state church. Another small group said they were linked to the Roman Catholic Church.

Many other people said they were Christians from different groups like Free church Protestants or Eastern Orthodox. Some said they were Muslims, and a few chose other religions. Many people were not sure about their beliefs or did not answer the question.

Abrahamic religions

Christianity

Demographics

History of Christianity

See also: History of Christianity in England

Saint George is England's patron saint. The flag of England shows his cross. Before Edward III, the patron saint was St Edmund. St Alban is honoured as England's first martyr. Other early saints include Saint Ethelbert and Saint Morwenna.

Protestantism

Church of England (Anglicanism)

Main article: Church of England

The established church of England is the Church of England. The supreme governor is the British monarch, now King Charles III. The church is run by bishops under Parliament. Twenty-six bishops are Lords Spiritual in the House of Lords. The dioceses are split between the two provinces of Canterbury and York, led by archbishops who are primates.

The church sees itself as continuing from the Catholic church brought by St Augustine in the late 6th century to Kent, as part of the Christianisation of Anglo-Saxon England. This view is disputed because of changes in the 16th century English Reformation, especially the Thirty-Nine Articles of Religion and the Book of Common Prayer. In 2018, a study found that 56% of Christians in England were members of the Church of England. Many of these people rarely attend church. In 2016, about 20% of people in England and Wales were Anglican. Some who grew up Anglican now say they have no religion. Anyone in England can marry or be buried at their local parish church, even if not baptised.

The Free Church of England is another Anglican group that split from the Church of England in the 19th century. It is in communion with the Reformed Episcopal Church in the United States and Canada.

Catholicism

Main articles: Catholic Church in England and Anti-Catholicism in the United Kingdom

The Catholic Church in England and Wales is led by the Catholic Bishops' Conference of England and Wales, currently headed by Vincent Nichols, the Archbishop of Westminster. In the past, the church faced restrictions, but these were removed over time. The number of Catholics has decreased since the 1960s, but immigration from Catholic countries has slowed this decline. In 2009, about 5.2 million people in England and Wales were Catholic. In 2018, 17% of Christians in England were Catholic.

Other

No other church in England has more than a million members. Pentecostal churches are growing and are now third in attendance after the Church of England and the Catholic Church. There are three main Pentecostal groups. The Countess of Huntingdon's Connexion is a small group of evangelical churches. There are also many independent, charismatic churches, like Kingsgate Community Church in Peterborough.

Various forms of Protestantism grew after the English Civil War. The Quakers were founded by George Fox in the 1640s. After 1662, some Church of England ministers left to start dissenting churches. These included the Presbyterians, the Independents (or Congregationalists), and the Baptists. In the 18th century, some Presbyterians developed ideas that led to Unitarianism.

Methodism began in the 18th century with John Wesley and others. The main Methodist church is the Methodist Church of Great Britain. The Salvation Army began in 1865 in London. There is one Mennonite church in England.

Most Greek Orthodox parishes are part of the Archdiocese of Thyateira and Great Britain in London. There are also Russian, Serbian, Ukrainian, and other Orthodox groups. Coptic, Eritrean, Ethiopian, and Armenian Orthodox churches are also present.

Islam

Further information: Islam in England

In the 2021 UK census, 3.8 million people in England were Muslim, or 6.7% of the population. Islam is thought to have arrived in England long ago, with contacts dating back many centuries. Today, Islam is the second largest religion in England. Many Muslims live in London, Birmingham, Manchester, Bradford, and other cities.

Judaism

Further information: Jews in England

Until the 20th century, Judaism was the main non-Christian religion in England. Jewish communities today are among the largest in the world.

Baháʼí Faith

See also: Baháʼí Faith in England

The Baháʼí Faith began to be mentioned in newspapers in 1845. Today, there are Baháʼí communities across England.

Dharmic religions

Main article: Dharmic religions

Hinduism

Further information: Hinduism in England

Many Hindus first came to England as students in the 19th century. Since then, Hindus have come to England at three main times.

Before India's Independence in 1947, only a few Hindus lived in England, and they stayed for short visits. In the 1970s, many Hindus came from Uganda. At first, most were from Punjabi and Gujarati families, but by 2000, Hindus from many backgrounds lived in England.

England is also home to Hindus from Sri Lanka, most of whom are Tamils. Recently, since the 1990s, Hindus have come as refugees from Sri Lanka and professionals from India. Some English people now practice Hinduism either by choosing to or by being born into Hindu families.

Sikhism

Further information: Sikhism in England

In 1911, the first Sikh temple, called a Gurdwara, was built in Putney, London.

The first large group of Sikhs moved to England in the 1950s. Most were men from the Punjab looking for jobs. They settled in London, Birmingham, and West Yorkshire. Later, Sikhs from East Africa moved to England because they had to leave due to unsafe conditions.

Buddhism

Further information: Buddhism in England

Buddhism first came to England through links with South East Asia. Early connections were with the Theravada traditions from places like Sri Lanka, Burma, and Thailand. In the 1880s, a group was formed to translate Buddhist writings into English.

In 1924, a Buddhist group started in London, and in 1926, a temple for Theravada Buddhists was founded. Interest in Buddhism grew slowly. In the 1950s, more people became interested in Zen Buddhism.

In the 1970s, a group following the Thai Forest Tradition of a Buddhist teacher named Ajahn Chah started at Chithurst Buddhist Monastery in West Sussex, and later, similar temples opened in other parts of the country.

Modern paganism

Main article: Modern paganism in the United Kingdom

In 2011, more people in England said they were Pagan than before. Many followed Wicca, a religion started in England, or Druidry, and Heathenry.

Wicca

Wicca began in England during the 1900s and became well-known from the 1960s onward.

Heathenry

Main article: Heathenry in the United Kingdom

Heathenry is inspired by old beliefs from Germanic tribes. In 2011, over 1,800 people called themselves Heathen. One big group is called Asatru UK, which had many members online.

Druidism

Long ago, Celtic beliefs were common in England. Neo-Druidism started in the 1700s. In 2011, thousands of people in England and Wales said they were Druids.

Other religions

England has many different beliefs besides the main ones. Some of these include Spiritualism, Ravidassia religion, Rastafari, Taoism, and Zoroastrianism. Others are Shinto, New Age, Scientology, and Traditional African religion. There are also Animism, Druze, Confucianism, Vodun, Eckankar, Brahma Kumari, and Occult.

Historical religions

Many different faiths were practiced in the areas that later became England long ago. These faiths are often called pagan, but they were replaced when Christianity spread to the region.

Gallo-Roman religion

When the Roman Empire ruled over the land, Gallo-Roman religion developed. It mixed the local beliefs of the Brythonic peoples with Roman ways. The Romans did not allow certain religious leaders called druids to practice their traditions.

People still honored old gods, like mixing them with Roman gods. For example, they honored a god called Ancasta but linked him with the Roman god Mars. Some new religions from faraway places also became popular, especially among wealthy people in cities.

Germanic paganism

Later, people from Europe came to live in England and brought their own beliefs called Anglo-Saxon paganism. After some of them turned to Christianity, Vikings arrived from Scandinavia with their own traditions.

Notable places of worship

England has many important buildings for different religions, such as churches, cathedrals, synagogues, mosques, gurdwaras, shrines, temples, and kingdom halls. These buildings are special for people’s beliefs and also attract visitors.

Some well-known places include the Amaravati Buddhist Monastery, Bevis Marks Synagogue, Birmingham Central Mosque, Canterbury Cathedral, and St Paul's Cathedral, among many others. These buildings show the rich history and variety of faiths in England.

Irreligion

See also: Irreligion in the United Kingdom

In 2021, about 36.7% of people in England said they had no religion. This was up from 24.7% in 2011 and 14.6% in 2001. Some places in England have even more people with no religion. For example, Brighton and Hove had 55.2%, Norwich had 53.5%, and Bristol and Hastings each had 51.4%.