Northern Ireland Christianity remains vibrant as churchgoing is highest in UK
Churchgoing in Northern Ireland is at a higher level in Northern Ireland than it is in the other countries of the United Kingdom.
Northern Ireland may be a deeply divided society, with the population deeply split on religion, politics and even social issues, but Sunday worship in churches here of all denominations is still a cherished tradition ingrained with a highly significant of the population here.
Results of a recent Northern Ireland survey confirm a stark contrast with similar polls in England, Scotland and Wales, which reveal that less than half of the population would describe themselves as Christian and more would class themselves as having no religion other than being Christian.
Evangelical Alliance Northern Ireland confirm, in a recent survey, that one in every two people in the province describe themselves as "a practising Christian".
Forty per cent of practising Christians, that is one in five people in Northern Ireland, consider themselves to be an "evangelical Christian".
As many as 38 per cent of practising Roman Catholics also consider themselves to be evangelical Christians.
Each week in Northern Ireland; 35 per cent of people pray, 23 per cent of people go to church and 13 per cent of people read the Bible.
More than 80 per cent of the general population agree that more effort is required when it comes to encouraging peace and reconciliation, which, mainstream churches maintain are at kernel of Christianity.
David Smyth, director of Evangelical Alliance in Northern Ireland, says: “The Christian faith continues to play an important role in life here and our research confirms high levels of religious identification and practice. The findings in our report have challenged, surprised and encouraged us.
"However, we are aware that evangelicals are often perceived negatively in the media.
"Evangelicals show up at church but also in their local communities and care deeply about wider society. Evangelical Christians are just like our neighbours in many respects but are understandably distinctive in many ways too.
"Our hope is that those in government and media get to understand us and religiosity in Northern Ireland better. Our prayer is that some might even explore this good news God that so many people here follow.”
* The Church of England is considered the original church of the Anglican Communion, which represents over 85 million people in more than 165 countries, including Northern Ireland and the Irish Republic by the Church of Ireland. Church-going in England may be in decline, but in many countries aligned with the Anglican Communion, particularly in Africa, it is not, with worship there strongly evangelical.
In Scotland, about 50 per cent of the population consider themselves as non-religious, the Church of Scotland can claim 21 per cent; Roman Catholic church 13 per cent, other Christian churches 5.1 per cent· Islam two per cent and other faiths 2.2 per cent. As many as six per cent decline to disclose their faith.