People power
Opinium Research recently completed a major investigation into people and power, in partnership with DHA Communications. Online interviews were conducted with 2,147 UK adults between 21 and 25 August 2015, the data tables extending to 563 pages. These are available via the link at:
http://ourinsight.opinium.co.uk/survey-results/people-and-power-country-demanding-change
Although religion was not a specific focus of the enquiry, religious affiliation was one of the background variables used to analyse replies to all the mainstream questions, albeit cell sizes were only meaningful for two religious groups: nones (n = 911) and Christians (n = 1,071). In many fields, there were few religious differences, but, when it came to the democratic process whereby voters choose the government, nones (possibly in reflection of their comparative youth) were clearly more dissatisfied with current arrangements than Christians or the general public, as the table below shows:
| % down |
Total |
Nones |
Christians |
| Elections in UK are generally free and fair |
|
|
|
| Agree |
56 |
52 |
59 |
| Disagree |
18 |
20 |
16 |
| Way votes translate into House of Commons seats is democratic |
|
|
|
| Agree |
27 |
22 |
28 |
| Disagree |
39 |
45 |
35 |
| UK voters generally get government they want |
|
|
|
| Agree |
32 |
25 |
36 |
| Disagree |
41 |
48 |
36 |
| UK election system better than any of alternatives |
|
|
|
| Agree |
34 |
26 |
39 |
| Disagree |
29 |
36 |
25 |
| UK election system worked in old days of two big parties but now out-of-date |
|
|
|
| Agree |
52 |
55 |
50 |
| Disagree |
16 |
15 |
17 |
| Current system of translating votes to seats is … |
|
|
|
| Best compromise, leading to stable governments |
37 |
30 |
43 |
| Unfair and should be reformed to give more seats to smaller parties |
42 |
49 |
38 |
The groups also diverged somewhat in respect of issues about which it would be worth the money and time for the UK to hold a referendum, as the next table reveals:
| Worth money and time to hold referendum on (%) |
Total |
Nones |
Christians |
| Whether UK remains part of European Union |
58 |
54 |
62 |
| Whether to replace House of Lords with elected body |
43 |
45 |
42 |
| Whether to introduce more representative electoral system |
46 |
50 |
41 |
| Whether to introduce national/regional/local parliaments in England |
40 |
42 |
39 |
| Whether to reintroduce death penalty |
36 |
30 |
42 |
| Whether to abolish monarchy and become republic |
19 |
24 |
13 |
2021 census
The British Humanist Association (BHA), which was behind a controversial campaign to encourage people to ‘come out’ as religious nones in the 2011 population census, has published its response to the Office for National Statistics’ first consultation on the 2021 census for England and Wales. In it, the BHA reiterates its view that the wording of the census religion question is ‘leading’, recording ‘only very weak cultural affiliation’, and is accordingly unhelpful, indeed misleading, in many contexts. It calls for the question to be rephrased in 2021, from ‘what is your religion?’ to ‘what is your religion, if any?’ It also argues for the inclusion of a second question on religious practice, something along the lines of ‘Do you consider that you are actively practising your religion?’ In these ways, it is affirmed, continuity would be broadly maintained with the 2001 and 2011 census data on religion while avoiding some of the misinterpretations to which they have been subject. See the BHA press release of 28 August 2015 at:
More on Scottish religion
Further to our post of 30 August 2015, the Barna Group published three days earlier its first major religious research report outside the United States. Commissioned by the Maclellan Foundation, and personally overseen by Barna’s president David Kinnaman, Transforming Scotland: The State of Christianity, Faith, and the Church in Scotland is available to purchase in print and ebook editions for US $40. BRIN has yet to see a copy, but, from the information on Barna’s website, this appears to contain both secondary analysis of existing data and the results of original research. The latter includes an exclusive online survey of religious beliefs and practices of adults aged 18 and over in Scotland undertaken on 9-16 June 2014. Although Scotland is found to be secularizing rapidly, with the majority of self-identifying Christians labelled as ‘legacy Christians’ (who neither believe basic elements of Christian doctrine nor profess personal faith in Jesus), evidence is also presented for ‘vibrant signs of spiritual life and measurable growth’, notably ‘countertrends’ among young adults. There is a particular focus on examples of best ministerial practice, informed by case studies and a second survey of 200 Protestant clergy in Scotland. BRIN obviously needs to reserve judgment on the report until we have obtained a copy, but, for a taster of the research, see Barna’s press release at:
Death and the afterlife
No more than 15% of all Britons, and a maximum of 19% in any demographic sub-group, now hold a definite belief in the afterlife, according to an online YouGov poll of 1,770 adults on 16-17 August 2015 and published on 2 September. Even if probable believers (21%) are added, the proportion of believers only reaches 36%, 12% fewer than probable or definite disbelievers (48%), among whom Liberal Democrats (63%), men (57%), and 18-24s (56%) are most numerous. The remaining 15% of adults are unsure. Interestingly, belief or disbelief in an afterlife makes no real difference to people’s fear of dying, just over two-thirds of both groups being scared of death a lot or a little. However, it does correlate a bit with expectations of dying happy (46% among believers in an afterlife and 38% for disbelievers). Asked where, if there were a heaven and hell, they would end up, 48% replied heaven (including 40% of men and 54% of women) while 10% expected to pass through the gates of hell, men and Scots (14% each) and disbelievers in an afterlife (15%) anticipating this fate the most. Almost twice as many believers (65%) as disbelievers (37%) had their eyes set on heaven. Two-fifths of adults were unsure whether it is heaven or hell which awaits them. Data tables are at:
Religion and personal relationships
Just over two-fifths (42%) of people in a relationship are likely to have differences of opinion over religious matters according to a YouGov poll published on 1 September 2015 and undertaken for Relate, Relationships Scotland, and Marriage Care. The sample comprised 6,512 UK adults interviewed online between 27 March and 7 April 2015, 4,664 of whom were in some kind of relationship. Residents of Northern Ireland (65%) were most likely to report religion-related issues in their relationship and Scots the least (38%). As the table below indicates, religious issues were ranked seventh out of eighth overall in terms of relationship differences, albeit the proportion may still seem surprisingly high, given relatively low levels of religiosity. Full data tables are at:
| % across |
All |
Ranked first |
Ranked second |
Ranked third |
| Financial issues |
64 |
23 |
22 |
19 |
| How to spend leisure time |
64 |
21 |
22 |
21 |
| Correct/proper behaviour |
59 |
17 |
21 |
21 |
| Decisions relating to children |
56 |
20 |
18 |
18 |
| Demonstrations of affection |
53 |
16 |
20 |
17 |
| Sex |
51 |
15 |
16 |
20 |
| Religious matters |
42 |
20 |
11 |
11 |
| Career decisions |
41 |
11 |
14 |
16 |
House of Lords
The House of Lords is now the second largest parliamentary chamber in the world, yet, according to a YouGov poll published on 2 September 2015, Britons still identify some room to improve the representation of professional groups there. In particular, 9% (peaking at 16% of 18-24s) of 1,715 Britons interviewed online on 27-28 August considered there are too few religious leaders in the Upper Chamber, perhaps an implied allusion to the absence of any but senior Anglican bishops. On the other hand, 34% believed the House of Lords already contains too many religious leaders, with UKIP voters (43%), men and over-60s (44%), and Scots (45%) especially feeling this way. The remainder of the sample judged the number of religious leaders about right (19%) or were undecided (38%). Of the eight other professions mentioned, between 8% of the public (in respect of scientists) and 60% (for politicians) sensed they are over-represented, and from 3% (for politicians) to 42% (for service personnel) discerned there is an under-representation of professions in the House of Lords. Full data tables are at:
