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Les grandes lignes

The major distinction to be made in the UK is between Great Britain (now comparatively secular) and Northern Ireland (where religious commitment remains high). There are also important differences between the constituent countries of Great Britain, as noted above : the predominant branch of Christianity is Anglican in England, Presbyterian in Scotland, and Nonconformist in Wales. Within each of these territories, however, the differences are modest.

The Catholic church is particularly strong in areas that received the largest number of Irish immigrants in the 19th and 20th centuries, e.g. around Liverpool and Glasgow. Some parts of the country (for example the southwest of England) have traditionally been areas of Methodist concentration, though that denomination is fading rapidly. The free presbyterian churches (that separated from the Church of Scotland) are especially important in the highlands and islands of Scotland.

Most immigrants from the former colonies live in the major urban areas such as Greater London, the West Midlands (around Birmingham), Greater Manchester, and West Yorkshire (around Leeds). The non-Christian religious groups are therefore concentrated almost entirely in cities, as are black-majority churches. In general, however, there is less religious participation in cities than in suburbs and rural areas.

Involvement in the Church of England in particular is noticeably higher (as measured by baptisms or church attendance relative to population) in rural than in urban areas. Middle class suburbs also show relatively high levels of participation, particularly for festivals such as Christmas. In Scotland, both religious identification and church attendance are lower in the east than in the west.

The major distinction to be made in the UK is between Great Britain (now comparatively secular) and Northern Ireland (where religious commitment remains high). There are also important differences between the constituent countries of Great Britain, as noted above : the predominant branch of Christianity is Anglican in England, Presbyterian in Scotland, and Nonconformist in Wales. Within each of these territories, however, the differences are modest.

The Catholic church is particularly strong in areas that received the largest number of Irish immigrants in the 19th and 20th centuries, e.g. around Liverpool and Glasgow. Some parts of the country (for example the southwest of England) have traditionally been areas of Methodist concentration, though that denomination is fading rapidly. The free presbyterian churches (that separated from the Church of Scotland) are especially important in the highlands and islands of Scotland.

Most immigrants from the former colonies live in the major urban areas such as Greater London, the West Midlands (around Birmingham), Greater Manchester, and West Yorkshire (around Leeds). The non-Christian religious groups are therefore concentrated almost entirely in cities, as are black-majority churches. In general, however, there is less religious participation in cities than in suburbs and rural areas.

Involvement in the Church of England in particular is noticeably higher (as measured by baptisms or church attendance relative to population) in rural than in urban areas. Middle class suburbs also show relatively high levels of participation, particularly for festivals such as Christmas. In Scotland, both religious identification and church attendance are lower in the east than in the west.

D 11 septembre 2012    ADavid Voas

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