In terms of individual identity, Christianity outnumbers all the other groups put together – atheists, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Humanists, Secularists and Pagans.

The last ten years have seen significant changes in Britain. Christianity is still the majority religion, but it seems to be losing ground while groups who oppose Christianity are growing and becoming more vocal. Four million fewer people identified themselves as Christian compared to a decade ago. This is seen as a sign of Christianity’s weakening influence in society. But is the current erosion of Christian values in our society simply a question of numbers?

The 2011 Census showed that the proportion of people who were Christian was over 45% in nine out of ten areas in England and Wales. It was the largest religion in all local authorities except Tower Hamlets in London. An average of 25% stated that they had no religion with the highest peaking at 42.5% in Norwich. In terms of individual identity, Christianity outnumbers all the other groups put together – atheists, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus, Humanists, Secularists and Pagans. Britain is still, in some real sense, a Christian nation.

If the issue is not numbers, then what is it? How can our nation be so influenced by minority groups? Why is our society so intolerant of Christian teaching and values? How come Christian views on the sanctity of life, marriage, sexual ethics and, on many other issues, are vehemently opposed or simply ignored? When we look at what is tolerated or promoted we are tempted to conclude that anything goes in our society – Anything But Christian, that is. This is the simple ABC of life in Britain today. But what is the reason for it?

The answer to the darkness in human hearts is the revelation of God in Christ

For Bible-believing Christians the answer is above all a spiritual one. The playing field is not level. We do not live in a morally or spiritually neutral world. In fact, the whole system of this world is implacably opposed to God as darkness is to light. The apostle John says, “the whole world is under the sway of the wicked one” (1 John 5:19). Paul explains that our fallen humanity is controlled by “the prince of the power of the air, the spirit who works in the sons of disobedience” (Ephesians 2:2). Our real battle is against “principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places” (Ephesians 6:12). Paul also makes clear that, “the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; nor can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14-15). The answer to this darkness in human hearts is the revelation of God in Christ:

For it is the God who commanded light to shine out of darkness, who has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:6).

When the light of the gospel shines, our hearts are set free from the captivity of godless thinking, but until then, we remain in darkness. Why then, does so much darkness persist in our society? Why does Christian witness and testimony not shine so brightly as to expel darkness and bring the light of reason to the craziness around us? Do not almost 60% of people in Britain profess to be Christian? We need to examine this statistic more closely.

Many people will say they are Christian because that is their traditional identity.

Four million fewer people identified themselves as Christian compared to a decade ago. This is seen as a sign of Christianity’s weakening influence in society.

The problem with the National Census question on religion is that it invites you to divulge your religious identity, not your religious beliefs or practices. Many people will say they are Christian because that is their traditional identity. It is a cultural label rather than a personal faith. Increasingly, traditional Christian culture is being removed from our society and consequently people no longer feel attached to the faith that once was almost a part of being British. That is one reason why the Census of 2011 saw a drop in people identifying themselves as Christian compared with that of 2001.

This nominal Christianity is easily exposed when we compare the national statistics on church attendance. Less than 10% attend church services weekly and, as we all know, not everyone who attends church is a committed Bible-believer. However, during the last decade, the long decline in British church attendance bottomed out and in many places it has consistently been on the increase.

Therefore, the real question is, are there enough true and robust Christians to make a difference and halt the moral and spiritual decline in the nation? It seems that minority groups of anti-Christian activists achieve far more than the equivalent numbers of born again Christians. This is the real cause of the spiritual crisis in Britain.

Homosexuals are less than 2% of our population and yet in a few decades, activists among them have managed to influence the media, education and the government and seem to be on the verge of changing our society’s definition of the very nature of marriage. From both a Christian and historical perspective, marriage is between a man and a woman. Gay activists are not content with the legal provision of Civil Partnership brought in to prevent discrimination against committed homosexual couples. They now want to fundamentally alter the institution of marriage in the name of equality.

That the gay agenda is being pushed by those in government shows how powerful a tiny minority of campaigners can be if they are totally committed to their cause. What a difference it would make to our society if Bible-believing Christians were equally active and stood up for what they believed. Many think that the homosexual challenge to traditional Christian marriage and morality is one of the greatest issues facing Christians today.

The real question is, are there enough true and robust Christians to make a difference and halt the moral and spiritual decline in the nation?

The National Secular Society was delighted by the 2011 statistics showing an apparent decline in Christianity and an increase of those who said they had no faith. Recently, the society’s president Terry Sanderson, said in the Press that these figures should serve as a warning to churches that their increasingly conservative attitudes are not playing well with the public at large. Others also believe that traditional teaching on sex and gender makes Christians appear out of step with secular priorities such as equality. They suggest that this associates the Christian religion with oppression. In a society where there are more members in one church (such as Kensington Temple) than the entire national membership of the Humanist Society, why is it that the secular humanist agenda is so successful in shaping the basic attitudes of much of the British people? Is it because we have vacated the public arena and allowed our faith to pushed to the margins? Where are the Christian voices speaking into government, influencing education policy and articulating their faith in the Media? Christians are in all these places, but how vocal are they? How solidly do churches stand behind such people and how effectively do we prepare them for their ministry in the market place?

As I have said, the playing field is not level, but that does not mean we sit back and do nothing, hiding ourselves in our cell groups and churches. We believe that Jesus has the words of eternal life. It is time to shine the light of the gospel into every corner of our world. We must speak more boldly, engage more intelligently, work more effectively and generally be more passionate about what we believe. We must speak more boldly, engage more intelligently, work more effectively and generally be more passionate.

The social, moral and philosophical environment of our society has a chilling effect on Christian witness and testimony. We dare not confront sin and immorality for fear of appearing uncharitable. We are reluctant to oppose false religion anxious not to appear bigoted. We avoid positions of influence such school boards, social action projects and community groups uncertain that we have what it takes to make a difference. All that has to change. We must get back to genuine New Testament believing and living. The church is the “called out company of God’s people” existing in a 24/7 relationship with God and each other. We have been called out of the world in order to be sent back into the world – saved, sanctified and shining as lights in a dark place. The apostle Paul put it this way:

? become blameless and harmless, children of God without fault in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you shine as lights in the world, holding fast the word of life (Philippians 2:15-16). We must know what we believe and why we believe it, ready at all times to give a reason for the hope that is in us in meekness and the fear of God (1 Peter 3:15). Even more than that – we must be living examples of the life of God. Saved people are different people. People will listen to us more if they see Christ in us and show them that God’s way works. We need to rediscover the boundaries that separate us from the world’s values and morals and live the life that only grace can produce – a life of love, purity and power.

How can we speak to a society on the brink of rejecting Christian standards of marriage when our marriages are failing? How can we preach the sanctity of sexual relationships when abstinence from pre-marital sex is no longer the standard for Christians? How can we proclaim God’s love when we are just as bitter, critical and self-serving in our attitudes as the world is? We must also get to grips with genuine New Testament spiritual warfare. The battle ground is the mind and our weapon is the truth. Truth powerfully received into our hearts and proclaimed in word and deed is the only way of tearing down strongholds and bringing every thought captive to the Word of God (2 Corinthians 10:4-5). The battle ground is the mind and our weapon is the truth.

We are privileged to live and minister in London the nation’s capital of crime, false religion and godless ideology. Where the darkness is greatest the light can shine the brightest. It is not about numbers, but it has to do with total dedication to Christ. It took a few short years for the 120 Jerusalem believers to fill their city with the teaching of Christ. It has happened before and it can happen again. But the real question is, are you going to be part of the move of God that can make it happen?

The National Census recorded differences

in religious affiliation across local authorities Christians formed the majority religion across most areas in England and Wales. In over nine in ten areas, the proportion of people who were Christian was over 45 per cent. It was the largest religion in all local authorities except Tower Hamlets where there were more people who identified as Muslim.

The areas with the highest proportion of Muslims were in London with the boroughs of Tower Hamlets and Newham having 34.5% and 32% respectively, and Redbridge and Waltham Forest having proportions of the population higher than 20% . There were several areas outside London with proportions higher than 20% including Blackburn with Darwen in the North West (27%), Bradford in Yorkshire and the Humber, Luton in East of England, Slough in South East, and Birmingham in the West Midlands.

Religious affiliation in England and Wales in 2011 Source: Census – Office for National Statistics

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He insisted that this was evidence that Moslems were being targeted in Britain for evangelism. He went on to attack the notion of the “Decade of Evangelism’ that had been adopted by many British churches in the 1990s. Such a notion was for him nothing less than an attack on his religion and an affront to his religious liberty.

Freedom of religion and the right to choose one’s beliefs without interference are an established part of the British way of doing things

I reminded him of the enormous restrictions on Christianity found in many Moslem nations, that Moslems were busy in Britain pursuing their agenda to become the dominant religious force and, finally, that freedom of religion surely meant that we Christians had the freedom and the right to preach the gospel to all – leaving people to make up their own mind whether they accept Christ or not. But he didn’t seem to be at all impressed or indeed grateful for the religious freedom he was enjoying in Britain. For this young Moslem, as for many like him, tolerance was a one-way traffic route – the right for him to practice and promote his religion without recognising the corresponding rights of others.

It is a well-known fact that Britain is a tolerant society. Freedom of religion and the right to choose one’s beliefs without interference are an established part of the British way of doing things. However, what is not always recognised is that this built-in respect for the beliefs and opinions of others is rooted in the influence of the Christian faith in our nation. For centuries, Christian teaching has shaped the thinking of Britain and the rest of the Western world. At the heart of the Christian faith lie the principles and values of individual liberty and personal responsibility. These form the foundation of our modern Western democracy. But what is the Christian basis of these beliefs?

Freedom of choice

Christian theology teaches that God is sovereign in power and authority over His creation. But this doesn’t mean that human beings are puppets without the gift of freedom of choice. God has created us in His image and that means He has dignified us with both the right to choose for ourselves and the responsibility to face the consequences of our choices. Ever since sin entered the human race, our power of choice has been heavily influenced by our fallen human nature. But through the gospel we are confronted with the truth of God in Christ and, with the help of the Holy Spirit, we can choose to follow Christ – but we are also free to say no.

This means we have the capacity to respond to God and enter a relationship with Him. God has given us this freedom and we can choose to obey, or disobey – to say yes or no to Him. The presentation of the gospel is a free offer of Christ to all who will listen. We commend our preaching to every person’s conscience in the sight of God. There can be no coercion, no forcing people to believe. Once they have heard, it is up to them – the decision is theirs. As believers we are responsible to preach the gospel, practice our faith and demonstrate the good news in the best way we can so that Christ is commended to the world. But we are not responsible for the choices they make. People are accountable for their own belief systems before God.

In Protestant Britain, Catholics enjoy freedom of worship

The rule of God

Many reject this understanding of the Christian faith and point to Bible accounts where the enemies of faith were killed and capital punishment was expected for practices such as adultery, homosexuality and blasphemy. But this is the position of the Old Testament only. It is not what Jesus taught. He came to do away with all of that. The central question is one of how God’s Rule or His kingdom is perceived. In the Old Testament, the rule of God was expressed through the laws of the land. This system of religious government is called theocracy and it was how ancient Israel was constituted. God’s laws were enacted through the laws of Israel and that meant “Church’ and State were one – almost to the point of being identical.

It was forbidden to worship any other God, but Yahweh (THE LORD). God judged and governed through the laws of the land. But Jesus brought a revolution in the way God’s rule was experienced. It was not so much through the laws of the land or, for that matter, by any external rules at all. Rather God’s kingdom was His own rule operating through the hearts of people who had chosen to follow Him. The difference between the two testaments is stark at this point

The Old Testament taught that the “Church’ and State were practically one, but Jesus separated them with His monumental statement: “Render unto Caesar the things that are of Caesar, but give to God the things that are of God’. (Mark 12:17).

It is important to understand that there are two testaments, but only one Bible, only one God and only one way to God – and that is by faith, not human effort. God never compels people to follow Him and whenever believers act in this overbearing and dictatorial manner God is displeased. This can be seen even from the Old Testament itself when God did deal with His people through theocracy.

Moslems are free to practice their faith

Tolerance rooted in love

The roots of religious tolerance are found in God’s love for Israel, His loving initiative towards them as a people and the covenant of love He made with them to be His people. Israel was called to respond in love, faithfulness and obedience. God was always looking for people to respond willingly from the heart. Coercion is completely out of place when it comes to believing in God. God’s commandments concerning capital punishment for certain sins and death for unbelieving nations were a revelation of His Holy nature and hatred of sin. God reveals His judgments during the course of history to warn of the eternal judgements coming at the end of history. There will be no refuge for sinners on that Day when God will expose and judge the secrets of all people’s hearts.

But even in the days of the Old Testament the emphasis was on heart choice – choosing who you would follow and obey. Joshua called on the people of his day to choose who they were going to serve – which of the gods of the nations around them – but for Joshua his heart was set on the God of Israel. (Joshua 24:15). In a similar way Elijah on Mount Carmel called Israel back to God with a stark choice – Baal or, the true God of Israel. The question was not just a matter of personal choice, but it was necessary to make an informed choice – if Baal was God, then Israel should serve him, but if THE LORD was God, then they were duty bound to return to the pure worship of God they had abandoned (1 Kings 18:21). The decision was theirs. Then, the theocratic nature of ancient Israel meant that the prophets of Baal were put to death, following the laws of the land, but this was merely the capital punishment of offenders in religion under the circumstances of that day.

The way of the kingdom

But Jesus came to introduce another, higher way – the way of the kingdom. Prepared by centuries of theocratic rule demonstrated through Israel, humanity was now heading for a higher fulfilment of God’s plan. Jesus came to fulfil the heart of God for all people, not just the Jews, and also to show that the pure way to God lay in God’s kingdom being established in our hearts by the Holy Spirit. Jesus separated Church and State and made it clear that God’s policy of no coercion in religious belief was taken to a higher level. Never would God give permission for the State to act in that way again.

An Ortodox Jew in prayer at the Wailing Wall

Jesus announced the presence of the kingdom and called people to take action: “The kingdom of heaven is close at hand. Repent and believe the good news’. (Mark 1:15). The coming of the kingdom was not to be through the outward force of political power, military might or governmental regulations. Jesus said, “My kingdom is not of this world, else my children would fight’ (John 18:36). Whenever people have taken up arms to bring in the kingdom of God by force, they have departed totally from God’s will. The Crusades of the Middle Ages when Christians took military action against Jews and Arabs in the name of the gospel were an abomination to God. The pogroms of Europe, the bombers of Northern Ireland and the outrages of Serbia and Bosnia – all go against the nature of true Christian religion.

Religious laws take freedom away

It is good to remember all this while we are enjoying the religious freedoms we have in Britain. And all the more so when our religious tolerance makes room for the kind of religions that do not share the same light as the Christian gospel. Islam is said to be the second largest religion in Britain and the fastest growing. And yet, few seem to understand that there is very little, if any, freedom of religion in Islam. It is said that Islam teaches there is no compulsion in religion. But when people kill, maim and perpetrate acts of terrorism in the name of Islam, they can point to numerous texts in the Koran which command acts of violence in order to protect Islam, punish the infidel and destroy those who convert away from Moslem belief – all this under a system of religion that seeks to make religious laws the rule of state. That is not the way of the gospel, or indeed of the British people.

Once on a March for Jesus in London, a woman, angry at having to wait in the traffic while the marchers passed by, wound down the window of her car and shouted, “What’s going on here?” “We’re marching for Jesus!” came the reply. Infuriated that she was being so inconvenienced by those representing the cause of Christ, she screamed back, “I’ll become a Moslem then!” Someone should have gently reminded her that should she have been living in a Moslem state such as Saudi Arabia she would not have had the freedom even to be driving her car, something forbidden for women to do there.

It is a well known fact that Britain is a tolerant society

It is time to wake up to the true nature of these modern forms of theocratic religion, which seek to control every aspect of life by making the laws of their religion the laws of the land. That is why they cannot give full freedom of worship to rival faiths.

But in tolerant Britain, rival claims to truth, competing philosophies and religious viewpoints stand side by side, each with equal freedom under the rule of law. Despite the erosion of Christian values in our society, Christianity still represents the main religious culture of Britain. We still have the freedom to worship Christ, practice our faith and testify about Him

But in the final analysis it is a matter of individual conscience. The love of Christ compels us not just to tell others about God, but also to leave the decision with them. And in the meantime, let everyone in the nation gratefully value the freedom Christianity has brought to Britain. Under another religion it may well have been quite a different story.

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Britain is known as a nation that welcomes foreigners. Not only do we have some of the most liberal laws in Europe for immigrants and asylum seekers, our colonial past means that many nations now have a right to the benefits of British Commonwealth hospitality. The openness of Britain’s borders makes her the easiest nation in Europe for refugees and asylum seekers to enter.?

All this means that Britain hosts many people with different faiths – both nationals and foreigners. Mosques, Temples and other places of worship for other faiths are increasingly commonplace, particularly in our cities. Her Majesty the Queen has participated in numerous Commonwealth church services in which leaders from other world religions have not only been present but also have played an active part. Although these services have affirmed our great British tradition of tolerance they also have helped support the notion that all religions are basically the same and that Jesus Christ can take His place as one lord among the many lords in the belief systems of the world.

Such tolerance is not just the outworking of the principles of the Commonwealth in our modern setting. It has its roots in our Judeo-Christian heritage. In ancient Israel, the foreigner was welcomed into the Hebrew society coming under the protection and provision of the nation, its laws and its faith in the one true God, Yahweh – the LORD.

But today, the “strangers’ are free in our society to enjoy all the privileges of modern Britain while remaining true to their own culture even to the point of challenging the culture of their host nation. We are (or so we are told) a multifaith society. That means, as “political correctness’ dictates, we should not allow any form of Christian faith to be present in our public life. Some Moslems have objected to the presence of the tiny cross that forms part of the uniform of our Metropolitan Police. The Red Cross banned any celebratory symbols of the Christian faith from its charity shops over this last Christmas period. A small cross was recently removed from the reception area of one of our hospitals because it was said to be an offence to those of other religions.

Is Britain really MultiFaith?

With all this talk of Britain being a multifaith society, it is necessary to look at just how multifaith we really are. 10% of Britons are in regular attendance at Christian church services, 12% claim a particular allegiance to the Christian faith and some 72% would call themselves Christians in some general sense. All this is a reflection of the underlying Christian culture in our society.

Non-Christian faiths, on the other hand, are represented by no more than 3% of the population. Islam, which is said to be the second largest religious grouping in Britain, makes up only 2% of the population.

From these facts a truer picture of modern Britain emerges. The original evangelisation of the British Isles some 1,500 years ago profoundly affected our nation, giving birth to many generations of Christian culture and establishing many of our nations laws, institutions and values.

Secularist agenda

Often, it’s the non-religious who are pushing for changes said to be in keeping with the so-called multifaith make up of our nation. Why is this? Are they really concerned about religious matters? Far from it. Their secularist agenda means they want to see Christianity, their greatest opponent, lose is pride of place in British society. It is their attempt to see religious life kept out of the public life of the nation.

A Protestant nation

During the time of Henry VIII in the 16th Century, England, then a Catholic nation, broke away from Rome and the Church of England was established as the official religion of the State. Henry had been given the title, “Defender of the Faith’ by the Pope because he had written a tract against Martin Luther’s teaching. But after the Reformation in England, this title came to signify that the king was the defender of the Protestant faith as established in the Church of England. Thus we are officially a Protestant Christian nation.

Muslims at prayer at the London Central Mosque, by Regents Park

Defender of Faiths?

Prince Charles has made it known that when he comes to the throne he would like to known as “Defender of Faiths’ and not “Defender of the Faith’ so that he can be more representative of all religious faith in Britain. That sounds well and good, but it would go against the long-established constitutional position in Britain. It would introduce sweeping changes in the British Monarchy and would further undermine the Church of England as the established religion of Britain. It is hard to see how this approach of Prince Charles would allow him to remain Head of the Church of England. Does he even want to be the head of this Protestant Christian religion? What is his attitude to the historic Christian faith? Historically, the title “Defender of the Faith’ is given to the British Monarch by virtue of his or her position as Head of the Church of England. It is easy to see why the secularists seek to emphasise, if not exaggerate the importance of the different faiths held by a minority in Britain.

Abuse of British tolerance

Britain is renowned as a nation of tolerance. This is due no doubt to the temperament of the British people in general, and to the particular influence of Christianity upon British culture. Christianity is a tolerant religion. The basis of faith in Christ is freedom of choice. Despite the command of Christ to disciple every nation on earth (Matthew 28), there is no coercion or compulsion present in the Christian faith. Jesus made it clear that choice it was up to each person’s own conscience. Everyone must decide for himself. Coupled with this is the idea of our rights to freedom of speech. This exists in western democracies as a direct result of the influence of Christianity. Those who come to Britain have freedom to believe and practice their faith under the enlightened and tolerant laws of British society.

This same tolerance is noticeably missing from many nations where other world faiths dominate. In the nations where Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam are in control there is nothing like the freedom of religion for Christians that exists for those from other faiths who choose to make Britain their home. It is a sheer abuse of British tolerance for other faith adherents to campaign for changes in Britain to remove Christianity from its pride of place in our society while Christians are opposed, persecuted and even killed for their faith in the very nations these people have come from.

A tiny minority of those from other faiths go even further than that. Asylum seekers were recently implicated in the Ricin poison case and it was discovered that Britain had given asylum to a man who had fought on behalf of the Taliban in Afghanistan against British troops.

Christian response

What should our attitude be to all of this? What is our response? We have a vital part to play and an invaluable contribution to make to our society at this time.

In the first place, we can demonstrate that the issue is not one of race or colour. The church is a multicultural community in which our cultural differences enrich rather than endanger our unity. Kensington Temple must surely be one of the most multicultural, multiethnic churches in the world. Over 100 different nations worship together as one community in KT/LCC. We are a living testimony to the fact that “multicultural’ doesn’t necessarily mean “multifaith’. We have an opportunity to show our friends from other faiths that Jesus satisfies the desires of all nations and that He is the Saviour of all the peoples of the world.

Multifaith gatherings such as this cause confusion as they make Jesus appear as just of many ‘Gods’

We are seeing many from the great world faiths come to find Christ the Saviour and the one true path to God. This is after all what Jesus, the great Prophet-Teacher claimed of Himself as John 14:6 declares,

“I am the Way, the Truth and the Life. No-one comes to the Father but by Me.”

The religious freedom and tolerance of our society must surely mean that believers in Christ have the right to proclaim their faith to those who don’t yet share it and freely pass on their beliefs in the uniqueness of Christ without being branded as intolerant and insensitive to those of other faiths.

Secondly, our call is not just to proclaim Christ, but also to love and accept all in our society in His name and with His love. The command of Moses to love the “stranger in the midst’ is still relevant to us today. We must show this love by arguing for the religious, racial and social acceptance of all who seek shelter within our borders. That surely is the work of the church that claims to represent Christ in the world.

And finally, we should challenge the notion of “multifaith Britain’ as it is popularly understood. Yes, there is a minority of people who wish to follow non-Christian faiths in Britain, and we should be upholding their rights and freedom to worship. But we must strongly resist the insistence of those adherents to foreign faiths who want to downplay Britain’s Christian roots and erode our Christian culture.

We cannot accept that the multi faith presence in Britain means that Britain should become a multifaith nation. The government’s pet phrase, “the faith community’ which supposedly embraces all those with a religious faith, may be well intended, but is also extremely dangerous. It places all faiths on the same level and fails to discern between them. We must be willing to discern truth from error. Differences in world faiths represent rival claims to truth which cannot be dismissed through some all-embracing mishmash of religion in the name of tolerance.

British society must give place to the fact that not all these religions can be right and remember that it is the Christian religion that has given us our freedom, our democracy and many of the institutions that make Britain such a desirable place for those from all over the world who wish to make their home among us.

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Is the Church of today a model of unity?

The Spiritual State of Britain Today

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Archbishop of Canterbury and David Cameron

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