Understand the spiritual makeup of England and Wales

Young adults: faith, the Bible and the search for meaning

Bible Society's research for Lumino threw up some fascinating findings about differing attitudes to the Bible among different age groups.

Is science compatible with religion? A lot of people don't think so

Asked about whether 'science and religion are fundamentally in opposition with each other', 40 per cent said they were.

If the Bible were a person, what would it think?

Participants were asked to imagine the Bible as a person and to decide whether it would be for or against difference causes – or if it would just be silent.

People think the Bible is outdated and contradictory – but they say good things too

Participants were asked to choose five words that described their response to the Bible from a list containing positive and negative expressions.

London has the lowest proportion of Christians

It's often held up as an example of what 'works' in terms of churchgoing, but only 33 per cent of Londoners identify as Christians.

More than half of adults in England and Wales have a religious faith

But only just. Asked, ‘If you have one, which of the following best describes your religion or faith?’ 49.45 per cent said they had no religion.

If you have one, which of the following best describes your religion or faith? Please choose one

More people don't believe in God than do believe

Asked about their belief in 'a God/gods or some higher power', 38 per cent said there definitely or probably was a God, while 49 per cent said there definitely or probably was not.

Which of the following best describes your belief? Please choose one

A quarter of adults in England and Wales want to know more about the Bible

Asked, '‘To what extent would you be interested or not in discovering more about the Bible?’ a total of 23 per cent of adults in England and Wales selected 'fairly interested' or 'very interested'.

To what extent would you be interested or not in discovering more about the Bible?

Most Christians in England and Wales are Anglican or Catholic

Asked about which denomination they identify with, more than half of Christians – 56 per cent – said they were Church of England or Church in Wales. Just under a fifth – 17 per cent – said they were Catholic.

Christian denomination

Only a fifth of Christians actually go to church

We asked participants: ‘Apart from weddings, baptisms/christenings and funerals, how often, if at all, did you go to a church service in the last year?’

Apart from weddings, baptisms, christenings and funerals, how often – if at all – did you go to a church service in the last year?

Most people think the Church's main role should be serving the poor

Asked to pick three options from a list of what the Church should be doing in Britain today, more than half – 54 per cent chose 'Serving the poor and those on the edges of society'.