Chapter 4
Religion
The UK is historically Christian, but many faiths are practised and everyone may choose their religion or none. The Church of England is the established Church in England; Scotland has the Presbyterian Church of Scotland.
By the end you should know
- Know the main religions practised in the UK and their relative size
- Explain what the Church of England is and how it is linked to the state
- Know the roles of the monarch and the Archbishop of Canterbury
- Describe the Church of Scotland and other Christian groups
Historically the UK is a Christian country, and Christians are still the largest group. But there are places of worship for many faiths across the country, and everyone has the legal right to choose a religion — or to have none at all.
Religions in the UK
The handbook quotes the 2009 Citizenship Survey. Learn its figures, because they are what the test uses.
In the 2009 Citizenship Survey quoted in the handbook, what share of people said they were Christian, and what share had no religion?
Key fact70% Christian; 21% no religion.
According to the handbook's survey figures, how large are the other main faith groups?
Muslim 4% · Hindu 2% · Sikh 1% · Jewish and Buddhist each less than 0.5% · other religions 2%
Places of worship: mosques (Muslim), temples (Hindu and Buddhist), synagogues (Jewish), gurdwaras (Sikh).
- Muslims worship in mosques
- Hindus worship in temples
- Jewish people worship in synagogues
- Sikhs worship in gurdwaras
- Buddhists worship in temples
The Church of England
In England there is a constitutional link between Church and state. The Church of England is the state's official Church — the 'established' Church. It is Protestant and dates from the Reformation of the 1530s.
What is the Church of England?
Key factThe official (established) Church of the state in England. It is a Protestant Church that has existed since the Reformation in the 1530s. Elsewhere it is called the Anglican Church, and in Scotland and the USA the Episcopal Church.
Who is the head of the Church of England, and who is its spiritual leader?
Key factThe monarch is the head of the Church (formally its Supreme Governor). The Archbishop of Canterbury is its spiritual leader.
The monarch has the right to choose the Archbishop and other senior church officials, but in practice the Prime Minister and a Church committee usually make the choice. Several Church of England bishops sit in the House of Lords.
Exam tip: the monarch is the head of the Church of England, but the spiritual leader is the Archbishop of Canterbury. Don't mix them up — and note that the Prime Minister and a Church committee usually make the choice of Archbishop in practice.
The Church of Scotland and other Churches
Scotland's national Church is separate from the Church of England and is organised differently, being run by ministers and elders.
What kind of Church is the Church of Scotland and who chairs it?
Key factThe national Church of Scotland is Presbyterian, governed by ministers and elders. Its General Assembly is chaired by the Moderator, who is appointed for one year only.
Do Wales and Northern Ireland have an established Church?
No. There is no established Church in Wales or Northern Ireland.
Which other Christian groups are found in the UK?
Protestant groups such as Baptists, Methodists, Presbyterians and Quakers. The largest other Christian denomination is Roman Catholic.
These other Churches practise their faith freely without any formal link to the state. Festivals of the different faiths, and the patron saints of the four nations, are covered in the next section.
Exam tip: 'Episcopal Church' is the name used for the Anglican Church in Scotland and the United States — it is not the Church of Scotland, which is Presbyterian.