Study title

Abstract copyright UK Data Service and data collection copyright owner.

The English Church Census, 2005 followed-up from English Church Census, 1989 (available from the UKDA under SN 2842). The project surveyed each of the 37,000 churches in England and the response rate was 50 percent. The main form was completed by someone in authority and provides key characteristics of the church, its leadership, the congregation (size and frequency of attendance, age, ethnicity), ethos ('churchmanship' or theology), midweek activities, community service and so on. A very brief, anonymous form was also given to each person attending on census day asking for gender, broad age category and frequency of attendance. The counts obtained from these slips were recorded for each church, but no individual-level data are held.

The English Church Census, 2005 had a two-fold aim:

• to provide the best information available on the extent of religious activity by Christians in England
• to make progress in answering a number of important questions about contemporary religious practice

Main Topics:

The survey provides data on the following areas:

• church nature and organisation: denomination, number of staff, year started, characteristics of leadership
• attendance on weekend of 7-8 May 2005: number of adults and children
• people (as measured for the congregation on 7-8 May 2005): age, gender and ethnic distributions; estimated frequency of attendance; estimated number of weekly Bible readers
• ethos (church type): e.g. broad, liberal, evangelical, radical, orthodox
• mid-week services/activities: attendance by age and gender
• church mission: number of Alpha courses and attendance; commitments to evangelism, preaching, community and youth work; support for third world aid, engagement in politics