Engaging the ‘nones’

The recently revealed Office for National Statistics 2021 census showed, for the first time, that less than half the country consider themselves Christians.

While in 2011 59.3% described themselves as Christians, ten years later only 46.2% do so. You only have to go back to 2001 to have seen 71% of the population ticking the Christian box.

Most of us, as evangelicals, are not surprised by the statistics. An earlier report published by the Evangelical Alliance had already produced similar figures. High numbers declaring themselves Christians in the past would have been inflated by a nominal sense of being a Christian regardless of actual beliefs or practice. Much of the decline represents a decline in identification with Christian culture.