Mapping Practising Christians September 2017
Methodology • ComRes interviewed 8,150 GB adults aged 18+ online between 17th and 31st March 2017 – of which 4,190 identified as Christians. • Data were weighted to be demographically representative of all GB adults. ComRes is a member of the British Polling Council and abides by its rules. • Of this sample 522 were identified as ‘practising’ Christians (those who say they read/listen to the Bible at least once a week, pray at least once a week and attend a church service at least once a month). • The term active Christian refers to respondents who identify as an active follower of Jesus but do necessarily read/listen to the Bible at least once a week, pray at least once a week and attend a church service at least once a month.
Christians in Britain 51%
14% 6%
Christians
Self-defined (active follower of Jesus) Base: all respondents (n=8150)
Practising
Practising Christians by Levels of Activity
Female practising Christians surveyed are more likely than male practising Christians to say that they pray every day (70% vs 60%).
75%
65%
44% 30%
23% 14%
12% 0 Pray Every day
3%
26%
8% 0
Go to church Three to four times a week
Read/listen to the Bible Once a week
Every month
Base: all respondents who are practising Christians (n=522)
Practising Christians by Age
10% 32%
14%
In this survey of adults in Britain, the mean age of Practising Christians is 51 compared with 47 years old for the general public.
13% 14%
General Public in Britain by Age
12%
22%
17% 14% 16%
17%
18-24 25-34 35-44 45-54 55-64 65+ Base: all respondents who are practising Christians (n=522)
18%
18-24 25-34 35-44 Base: all respondents (n=8150)
2%
2%Practising Christians in Britain by Denomination 1% 3%
6%
4% 26% 8% 10% 14%
23%
Anglican / Church of England
Roman Catholic
Other
Pentecostal
Baptist
Methodist
Independent / Free Evangelical
Presbyterian
New Churches (e.g. New Frontiers)
Don’t know
Orthodox Base: all respondents who are practising Christians (n=522)
Practising Christians Britain - Age at coming to faith The mean age that respondents reported becoming a Christian varies regionally with people in Wales reporting 17*, people in England reporting 11 and people in Scotland reporting 11.
4%
1%
1% 2%
‘Practising’ Christians (those who say they attend church on a monthly basis, pray and read/listen to the Bible weekly) are more likely than ‘non-active’ Christians to say that they became a Christian at a later age – an average of 12 years old compared to 5 years old.
7% 40%
9%
20% 16%
0-4
35-44
5-10
45-54
11-18 55+
19 - 24 Don’t know
25-34
Base: all respondents who are practising Christians (n=522)
Practising Christians Britain by Social Grade 34% 27%
31%
27% 22%
22%
24%
Practising Christians net: ABC1 65% compared with the general public net ABC1: 54%
13%
AB
C1 Practising Christians
C2
DE
General Public
Base: all respondents (n=8150) Base: all respondents who are practising Christians (n=522)
Practising Christians by Education Level 57%
46% 35%
27%
0% 1%
0% 1%
No formal education
Primary
14% 9%
Secondary school
University degree or equivalent
Practising Christians
3% 3%
Higher university degree
1% 1%
Still in full Prefer not to time answer Education
General Public
Base: all respondents who are practising Christians (n=522)
Base: all respondents (n=8150)
Practising Christians by Ethnicity 91%
82%
18%
White Practising Christians
7% BAME
General Public
Base: all respondents who are practising Christians (n=522)
Base: all respondents (n=8150)
Practising Christians by Ethnicity 82%
91%
Practising Christians by Ethnicity in London 74%
57% 43%
18%
White Practising Christians
24% 7%
BAME General Public
White Pracitising Christians
BAME General Public
Base: all respondents who are practising Christians (n=522) Base: all respondents (n=8150)
As part of the project design respondents who said they previously used to be a member of a religious group were asked ‘At what age did you stop considering yourself to be a member of this religious group?’:
Age of Leaving Christian Faith 1% 0% 1% 4% 6% 10%
34% of those who left the Christian faith were practising Christians
34%
6% 16% 21%
0-4
25-34 Prefer not to say
5-10
35-44 Don't know
11-18 45-54
19 - 24 55+
Base: all respondents who use to be a member of a religious group - wave 1 (n=84)