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Religion/Belief

Definition of Strand

Religion/Faith: Religion is a set of  and practices, often centered upon specific and claims about the cosmos and human nature. Religion also encompasses ancestral or cultural tradition writings, history, and mythology as well as personal faith and religious belief.  The term "religion" refers to both the personal practices related to communal faith and to group rituals and communication stemming from shared conviction. www.bbc.co.uk/religion

Did you Know

According to the 2001 Census, the vast majority of Worcestershire’s residents (78.7%) are Christian, with 12.6% of people stating that they had no religion and 7.1% preferring not to state their religion.  The largest non-Christian community in Worcestershire is the Muslim community which stands at 0.9% of the population, which as of 2001, equated to 4880 people.

The national Christian population proportion of 71.7% is 7% lower than Worcestershire’s, with other significant differences appearing under ‘no religion’ (a difference of 2% to the national percentage of 14.6%) and in the Muslim and Hindu populations (a 2.2% and 1% difference respectively)  2001 Census

England's first mosque and Islamic centre was founded in 1882 in Liverpool and the oldest Hindu temple in the U.K is the one on Leeds Road in Bradford.www.bbc.co.uk/religion

There are an estimated 1,500 religious festival dates celebrated in the U.K every year

Resource:

Ethnic Minority Voluntary Organisations Directory:  (1.85 MB)

This resource gives useful information and details of groups in the Worcestershire area.

Useful Weblinks

Equality and Human Rights Commission

National site: works to eliminate discrimination, reduce inequality, protect human rights and to build good relations, ensuring that everyone has a fair chance to participate in society

www.bbc.co.uk/religion

The British Broadcasting Corporation Site has much useful information on different types of religions and beliefs.

Focus on Religion

National Government website which paints a picture of religion in the UK today.

Contacts

Equality Group for Race and Religion