Who needs religion? | Andrew Copson and Linda Woodhead on the rise of the non-religious

Linda Woodhead specialises in the religious studies and sociology of religion. She was appointed F.D. Maurice Professor at King’s College London in 2022, where she is also Head of the Department of Theology and Religious Studies. Previously she was Distinguished Professor at Lancaster University. She is best known for her work on religious change since the 1980s, and for initiating public debates about religion and belief. She has been described by Matthew Taylor, head of the Royal Society of Arts, as 'one of the world's leading experts on religion'.

Linda co-founded the Westminster Faith Debates with former Home Secretary Charles Clarke in 2011. The debates were originally created to publicise findings from the Religion and Society programme, but have since become an annual series. They bring researchers into conversation with prominent figures in public life and have included former Prime Minister Tony Blair, ethnologist, author, and Humanists UK patron Richard Dawkins, and the former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams. The debates have been covered by BBC Radio, LBC, the Guardian, Independent, The Times, the Evening Standard and other UK and international media.

[larryparis]

What a great discussion. Many thanks, from San Diego, California.

[CulturePhilter]

Given the information that if you have non religious parents that their children are 95% likely to also be non religious I’d be interested to find out the figure if one parent is religious and one not.

I’m non religious and my mum is non-religious but my dad is a Christian who goes to church most Sundays.

Added factor that they divorced when I was 4 of course but my step dad is a less devout believer (doesn’t go to church but believes in a god) and my step-mum is a church going Christian.

Now I have kids and I’m married to someone who describes themself as a Christian who goes to church at Christmas and Easter sometimes.

[townsendv]

We let my daughter attend a C of E primary school. Also, parents used to let the children attend an activity camp (free so useful for child care). The total experience turned my daughter off religion. She is a healthy adult.

[CulturePhilter]

Every time Linda said “nones” I heard “nuns” which makes the very conversation very confusing 😂

[johnraymondcave]

Society has become self, self, self. And I blame the government, media lies.

[toni]

My parents never suggested there was a God, never mentioned JC to me and I was brought up in my early years in London, so religion never crossed my mind and I never will be a believer and I'm now seventy-two years old. I don't know anyone who is a Christian now I live in Oz.

[toni]

This polarisation can be dangerous, perhapse not now,