Scottish Secular Society Responds to new figures showing decline in religious people in Scotland.

Posted by on 4 April, 2016 | 0 comments

The new findings from the Scottish Social Attitudes Survey released today further calls into question the idea that Scotland has a clear and strong religious identity.

Douglas McLellan, Chair of the Scottish Secular Society stated, “This above all should make our society question the role of faith within the state, education and healthcare in Scotland. However, religion should not be oppressed now it is a minority view, any more than it was right to oppress non-believers when we were the minority. As secularists, the SSS hope that these more enlightened times can provoke a discussion for more open and nuanced discussions between all beliefs, to find a true secular balance. For example, will the Scottish legal system still keep its preference for swearing on the Bible even when that is an irrelevant text for so many people?”

 
Published by ScotCen Social Search, the report reveals that the majority of Scottish citizens do not consider themselves religious, and only 20% remain members of the Church of Scotland. Of those who identify as religious, they “never or practically never” attend services. Further, the research reports that attendance at religious services is at its lowest since 1999.

 
1. The recent Scottish Social Attitudes Survey has shown that 52% of Scots are not religious. This is the first time that a majority of Scots have declared themselves not religious.

 
2. The decline in those identifying with the Church of Scotland (just 20%, down from 35% in 1999) continues to undermine the claim that the Church of Scotland deserves a special place in Scottish society and within the Scottish education system

 
3. Secular demands for a democratically accountable education system, from automatic religious representation should be met.

 
END

Leave a Reply