【上世紀英國最重要的現象是「基督宗教的衰落」；近 33 年英國基督宗徒減半】

【上世紀英國最重要的現象是「基督宗教的衰落」；近 33 年英國基督宗徒減少一半】

據英國《衛報》報導，宣稱不信仰任何宗教的英國人占全國人口比例為 48.5%，宣稱自己為基督徒的人數為 43.8%，宣稱信仰其他宗教的占 8%。

在 1983 年時，宣稱自己為基督徒的英國人高達 87% 左右；2001 年時，仍然有近 75% 的英國人明確表示自己為基督徒。在過去的 15 年內，英國基督徒人數減少了 31% 左右；在近 33 年來，英國基督徒人數減少了一半。

與此同時，宣稱不信奉任何宗教的人數比例卻呈快速增長勢頭。五年前，不信教人數占英國人口比例僅為 25%；現在，該比例「突飛猛進」至 48.5%。正是因為一方面基督徒人數「斷崖式」下降。

英國《旁觀者》週刊說，「上世紀英國最大的變化是基督宗教的衰落」。

英國宗教主要是「英國聖公會」和「蘇格蘭長老會」這兩大新教「國教」，及北愛爾蘭的天主教教會。長期以來英國教徒人數已持續減少，近五六年來出現「崩塌式」劇降。主因是大量原先出生於基督教家庭、從小受過基督教觀念薰陶的年輕人「背棄」家庭基督教傳統，不僅不再信奉基督教，而且對任何宗教信仰都持冷漠態度。在家長不信教家庭中，95% 的兒女長大後不信教；父母為基督徒的家庭里，40% 孩子長大後不會信教。

英國《衛報》說，作為一個具有 1700 年歷史的基督教國家，基督教在英國已經「走到盡頭」。根據英國蘭卡斯特大學的一項研究，40 歲是目前英國「信教」與「不信教」的重要分界線。大不列顛人群中，40 歲以下者不信教者居多，而 40 歲以上者則正好相反。

「台灣反宗教者聯盟」台灣反宗教者 陳立民 Chen Lih Ming (陳哲) 於 21 Jan 2017
20170121

上文主要根據下兩則中英文新聞報導：

【英國不再是一個基督教國家】

〔壹讀 2016-11-01 09:14:00〕

網址：https://read01.com/3E2yo6.html

【Britain really is ceasing to be a Christian country

The decline in religious belief has become precipitous in recent years】

〔The Spectator  28 May 2016〕

A landmark in national life has just been passed. For the first time in recorded history, those declaring themselves to have no religion have exceeded the number of Christians in Britain. Some 44 per cent of us regard ourselves as Christian, 8 per cent follow another religion and 48 per cent follow none. The decline of Christianity is perhaps the biggest single change in Britain over the past century. For some time, it has been a stretch to describe Britain as a Christian country. We can more accurately be described now as a secular nation with fading Christian institutions.

There is nothing new in the decline of the church, but until recently it had been a slow decline. For many decades it was possible to argue that while Christians were eschewing organised religion, they at least still regarded themselves as having some sort of spiritual life which related to the teachings of Jesus. Children were asked for their Christian name; conversations ended with ‘God bless’. Such phrases are now slipping out of our vocabulary —to wear a cross as jewellery is seen as making a semi-political statement.Christians are finding out what it’s like to live as a minority.

Just 15 years ago, almost three quarters of Britons still regarded themselves as Christians. If this silent majority of private, non-churchgoing believers really did exist, it has undergone a precipitous decline. Five years ago, the number of people professing no religion was only 25 per cent.

上則英文新聞網址：

http://www.spectator.co.uk/2016/05/britain-really-is-ceasing-to-be-a-christian-country/

「宗教止於智者」。

台灣反宗教者聯盟 陳立民  Chen  Lih  Ming  (陳哲) 於 21 Jan 2017