In spite of secularism, the 'multi-faith' society, and the decline of biblical standards of morality and decency, more than 37 million people in England and Wales still claim Christianity as their religion.
The figures come from the 2001 Census, the results of which were published in February. This was the first time since 1851 that a 'religious allegiance' question had appeared in Britain's ten-yearly official Census and, like its predecessor of 150 years ago, the 'religion' question attracted its fair share of controversy.
Even before Census Day in April 2001, 3,000 pagans ceremonially burned their Census forms in protest against the government's refusal to accept paganism as a religion for the purposes of the question.
