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Shocking Statistics

Can anyone confirm that this is true?

Apparently 57% of 20's who attend church do so in London.

London has 11 per cent of all churches in England, and 20 per cent of all churchgoers. It has 53 per cent of all English Pentecostalists, and 27 per cent of all Charismatic Evangelicals. Also, it caters for 57 per cent of all worshippers in their 20s. "I couldn't believe that figure myself, and had to check it again," said Peter Brierley, the director of Christian Research" (Church Times 2005)

London has 13% of the general population by my rudimentary calculations.

Comments

Anonymous said…
I would actually agree with that - I'm no expert on the church in the Uk - but my general observation has been that when I have travelled outside London I meet fewer younger Christians than older Christians. I think too that perhaps London generally has more of the 'happening' churches that attract younger people. Also maybe a lot of job opportunities outside London tend to go to older people whereas in London there are loads of opportunities here.

Churches like Hillsong for example tend to attract young Aussies, Kiwis and South Africans as well.

Just a few thoughts.
12:10 pm
Anonymous said…
Christianity is surely more prevalent amongst the middle and upper classes (for a number of reasons, and yes I know that is rubbish dated terminology but you know largely what I mean). Check out the proportion of middle and upper class people in the London area compared to the rest of the country and I think the figures would make more sense.

Also, large urban areas have always attracted gatherings of minority groups. I don't think christianity would be the only faith/idea/community that has figures like this for London/England.
2:00 pm
Anonymous said…
from what I can rememebr of "Pulling out of the nosedive" (the results of the 2006 church census), these figures are about correct. The church in London has a younger demographic, and is also the only region in the country which is growing in church attendance. However, most of all the growth comes from Black churches and immigrant churches, so I'm not sure if the class demographic argument is that valid for London (it probably applies more elsewhere in the country - ie church numbers are declining less slowly in commuter towns, which are mostly middle class)
3:04 pm
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