1. Which is the most and least secular country?
China
France
India
Iran
Norway UK
USA

2. Secularisation for GCSE & A Level
Lisa O’Connor
King Edward VI College, Stourbridge

6. Which is the most and least secular country?
China
France
India
Iran
Norway UK
USA

7. GCSE Specs Secular as non-religious

9. Key ‘secular’ themes at GCSE
Arguments against the existence of God including the problem of evil
Arguments around life after death
Social issues
Abortion and euthanasia
Marriage and family

10. Possible secular themes at KS4

11. Secularisation at A Level
Both also include references to ‘secular views’ in the applied ethics and social changes sections

14. A Level - What is meant by secularisation and secularism?
The belief that secularisation is good for society
Secularisation
The process of society moving away from religion.
Separating religion and state functions, so that religious bodies have no privileged influence over the state (e.g. in matters of law, politics etc)
A decline in individual/private religious belief and practice
The secularisation hypothesis
The claim that (UK) society has become less religious over time

15. Claim
Notes
Church of England bishops have a direct influence on UK Law in the House of Lords
 There are currently 26 Bishops who sit in the House of Lords.
Both England and Scotland have official state churches
 The Church of England and Church of Scotland are known as ‘established churches’
One third of English schools are Christian Faith schools
 In 2015 there were about 15,000 primary and 3,000 secondary schools with a Christian character
Most people who choose faith schools don’t do it for religious reasons
 Only 5% say it is for religious character, and 5% exposure to faith (77% say academic standards and 58% say location)
BBC has a duty to broadcast religious programming
 This is part of its public service duty. It includes things like Songs of Praise and Thought for the Day
Non-religious people are banned from appearing on some BBC Radio shows
 BBC4 Thought for the Day doesn’t allow non-religious voices, non-religious groups are campaigning against this
In the last census (2011), more than half of people in England and Wales said they were Christian
 59% in last census (but down from 72%)
In the 2013 British Social attitudes survey, more than half of respondents said they had no religion
 50.6% said they had no religion (though more than half of them may believe in God or some spirituality)
Church attendance figures for the Church of England have dropped by more than half in the last 50 years
 From 1.6m every Sunday to 800,000
British social attitudes survey 2013 shows that for every convert made by the Church of England, they lose 12 members
 However, there is growth in other Christian churches, particularly Pentecostal and New Churches

16. Useful video clips

17. Is the UK a Christian country? 2 key questions
Is there evidence that the UK is becoming less influenced by religion? And is this a good thing?
Is there evidence that the UK is less religious? And is this a good thing?
Influence of the Church on laws through the House of Lords
Queen is Head of State and Head of Church
Laws increasingly go against ‘traditional’ religious teachings
Case law increasingly finds against the claims of religious groups in discrimination cases
Rise of ‘New Atheism’
‘Non-religious’ an increasing group
Multi-faith society
Growth of new churches and New Religious Movements

18. So, is the UK a Christian country?
Is there evidence that the UK is becoming less influenced by religion?
Is there evidence that the UK is less religious?
In table groups you’ll hold a structured discussion, nominate a discussion leader
Your information sheet has a range of arguments and evidence, you have 3 minutes to look over one part of it to get an idea of key arguments and evidence

19. Agree, and this is a good thing Agree, and this is a bad thing
In terms of individual Christian practice
In terms of Christian influence and privilege
Agree, and this is a good thing
Agree, and this is a bad thing
Disagree, and this is a good thing
Disagree, and this is a bad thing