mick silver
7th December 2015, 10:26 AM
UK is no longer Christian country and shouldn't act like it, says judge in new outrage
CHRISTIANITY in Britain has been downgraded by other religions rising in prominence, a top judge has ruled, sparking furious backlash from the Church of England.
By Rebecca Perring (http://www.express.co.uk/journalist/122376/Rebecca-Perring) Rebecca Perring
PUBLISHED: 10:24, Mon, Dec 7, 2015 | UPDATED: 11:49, Mon, Dec 7, 2015
http://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/1/590x/Christianity-religion-624781.jpgGETTY
A judge has called for public life in Britain to be de-ChristianisedA major inquiry into religion in modern society, led by former senior judge Barnoness Butler-Sloss, has called for public life in Britain to be de-Christianised.
The two-year report found a decline in church goers - but a rise in Islam and other faiths - was the reason for a steep decline in Christianity.
The findings have provoked fury among Cabinet ministers who say it is "seriously misguided, while the Church of England (http://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/624548/BBC-Christmas-programming-four-hours-Christian-shows-slammed-Stephen-Green) said it had been "hijacked" by humanists.
Compiled by the Commission on Religion and Believe in British Public Life, the report suggested faith schools should be stripped of powers to select their own pupils because they are "socially divisive".
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The number of church goers in Scotland has decreased
It is in our view not clear that segregation of young people into faith schools has promoted greater cohesion or that it has not been socially divisive, leading to greater misunderstanding and tension
It said allowing schools to choose pupils by faith had "negative practical consequences".
The report read: "It is in our view not clear that segregation of young people into faith schools has promoted greater cohesion or that it has not been socially divisive, leading to greater misunderstanding and tension.
"Selection by religion segregates children not only according to different religious heritage but also… by ethnicity and socio-economic background. This undermines equality of opportunity."
The report also called for religious studies in the classroom to teach how faith was used by extremists as a justification for terrorism.
The teaching of religion in schools should be radically changed to make it more realistic and relevant Britain becomes an increasingly secular country, the report said.
A recruitment drive was needed for those teaching religion and belief so the subject can be treated "seriously and deeply in these unprecedented times of religious confusion and tension".
Controversially, it said there should be a re-think over Britain's anti-terror policy including ensuring students can voice radical views at achoo without fear of being reported to the security services.
http://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/1/590x/secondary/Christianity-religion-407604.jpgGETTY
The report by the Commission on Religion and Believe in British Public LifeOne third of schools in England are publicly funded faith schools, with the vast majority as Christians.
In Northern Ireland, more than 90 per cent of children attend schools that are either Catholic or Protestant.
The 150-page report also highlighted figures which showed the decline in people who say they are Anglicans from 40 per cent in 1983 to less than a fifth in 2013.
It says: "Three striking trends in recent decades have revolutionised the landscape on which religion and belief in Britain meet and interact.
"The first is the increase in the number of people with non-religious beliefs and identities. The second is the decline in Christian affiliation, belief and practice and within this decline a shift in Christian affiliation that has meant that Anglicans no longer comprise a majority of Christians.
"The third is the increase in the number of people who have a religious affiliation but who are not Christian.
A spokeswoman for the Church of England blasted the report as a "sad waste", which had "fallen captive to liberal rationalism".
She added: “The report is dominated by the old fashioned view that traditional religion is declining in importance and that non-adherence to a religion is the same as humanism or secularism."
http://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/1/590x/secondary/Christianity-religion-407607.jpgGETTY
A rise in other religions has seen a decline in ChristianityA source close to Nicky Morgan, the Education Secretary, described the report as "ridiculous".
The source said: "Nicky is one of the biggest champions of faith schools and anyone who thinks she is going to pay attention to these ridiculous recommendations is sorely misguided."
The commission was established by the Cambridge-based Woolf Institute, which studies relations between Christianity, Islam and Judaism, and public consultations were held over the past two years to gather research.
It is made up of members of all the major religions across the UK and some of its patrons include former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, Lord Woolf, the former chief justice and Sir Iqbal Sacranie, the former general secretor of the Muslim Council of Britain.
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CHRISTIANITY in Britain has been downgraded by other religions rising in prominence, a top judge has ruled, sparking furious backlash from the Church of England.
By Rebecca Perring (http://www.express.co.uk/journalist/122376/Rebecca-Perring) Rebecca Perring
PUBLISHED: 10:24, Mon, Dec 7, 2015 | UPDATED: 11:49, Mon, Dec 7, 2015
http://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/1/590x/Christianity-religion-624781.jpgGETTY
A judge has called for public life in Britain to be de-ChristianisedA major inquiry into religion in modern society, led by former senior judge Barnoness Butler-Sloss, has called for public life in Britain to be de-Christianised.
The two-year report found a decline in church goers - but a rise in Islam and other faiths - was the reason for a steep decline in Christianity.
The findings have provoked fury among Cabinet ministers who say it is "seriously misguided, while the Church of England (http://www.express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/624548/BBC-Christmas-programming-four-hours-Christian-shows-slammed-Stephen-Green) said it had been "hijacked" by humanists.
Compiled by the Commission on Religion and Believe in British Public Life, the report suggested faith schools should be stripped of powers to select their own pupils because they are "socially divisive".
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BBC accused of 'diminishing religion': Only FOUR HOURS of... (http://express.co.uk/showbiz/tv-radio/624548/BBC-Christmas-programming-four-hours-Christian-shows-slammed-Stephen-Green)
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http://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/1/590x/secondary/religion-christianity-407592.jpgGETTY
The number of church goers in Scotland has decreased
It is in our view not clear that segregation of young people into faith schools has promoted greater cohesion or that it has not been socially divisive, leading to greater misunderstanding and tension
It said allowing schools to choose pupils by faith had "negative practical consequences".
The report read: "It is in our view not clear that segregation of young people into faith schools has promoted greater cohesion or that it has not been socially divisive, leading to greater misunderstanding and tension.
"Selection by religion segregates children not only according to different religious heritage but also… by ethnicity and socio-economic background. This undermines equality of opportunity."
The report also called for religious studies in the classroom to teach how faith was used by extremists as a justification for terrorism.
The teaching of religion in schools should be radically changed to make it more realistic and relevant Britain becomes an increasingly secular country, the report said.
A recruitment drive was needed for those teaching religion and belief so the subject can be treated "seriously and deeply in these unprecedented times of religious confusion and tension".
Controversially, it said there should be a re-think over Britain's anti-terror policy including ensuring students can voice radical views at achoo without fear of being reported to the security services.
http://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/1/590x/secondary/Christianity-religion-407604.jpgGETTY
The report by the Commission on Religion and Believe in British Public LifeOne third of schools in England are publicly funded faith schools, with the vast majority as Christians.
In Northern Ireland, more than 90 per cent of children attend schools that are either Catholic or Protestant.
The 150-page report also highlighted figures which showed the decline in people who say they are Anglicans from 40 per cent in 1983 to less than a fifth in 2013.
It says: "Three striking trends in recent decades have revolutionised the landscape on which religion and belief in Britain meet and interact.
"The first is the increase in the number of people with non-religious beliefs and identities. The second is the decline in Christian affiliation, belief and practice and within this decline a shift in Christian affiliation that has meant that Anglicans no longer comprise a majority of Christians.
"The third is the increase in the number of people who have a religious affiliation but who are not Christian.
A spokeswoman for the Church of England blasted the report as a "sad waste", which had "fallen captive to liberal rationalism".
She added: “The report is dominated by the old fashioned view that traditional religion is declining in importance and that non-adherence to a religion is the same as humanism or secularism."
http://cdn.images.express.co.uk/img/dynamic/1/590x/secondary/Christianity-religion-407607.jpgGETTY
A rise in other religions has seen a decline in ChristianityA source close to Nicky Morgan, the Education Secretary, described the report as "ridiculous".
The source said: "Nicky is one of the biggest champions of faith schools and anyone who thinks she is going to pay attention to these ridiculous recommendations is sorely misguided."
The commission was established by the Cambridge-based Woolf Institute, which studies relations between Christianity, Islam and Judaism, and public consultations were held over the past two years to gather research.
It is made up of members of all the major religions across the UK and some of its patrons include former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, Lord Woolf, the former chief justice and Sir Iqbal Sacranie, the former general secretor of the Muslim Council of Britain.
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