Joanna Sugden
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Half of all Britons believe Jesus rose from the dead, according to research published today.
According to the survey, 57 per cent of adults believe that Jesus was crucified, buried and rose from the dead. But for over a quarter of the British population, the fundamental parts of the Easter story have ‘no real meaning’, the survey found.
Two in five people regard Jesus as the son of God according to results, whereas just over half think was just a holy prophet.
The online survey of 1100 Britons was conducted by Theos the public theology think-tank.
The Bishop of Durham, Tom Wright, said: “The results show a healthy number of people who do still believe in what the New Testament teaches both about Jesus and about their own ultimate future, but also a fair amount of predictable confusion about what resurrection itself actually is.
“Resurrection isn’t a fancy way of saying ’life after death’ - it’s a way of talking about a further stage, life after ‘life after death’,” he said.
Three per cent of those questioned identified themselves as Christian but said they did not attend church regularly. Only eight per cent said they were Christian and went to church on a regular basis.
Nearly a quarter said they were atheist and did not believe in the existence of God at all.
Paul Woolley, Theos director, said: “The fact that over half of Britons believe that Jesus rose from the dead is particularly striking and demonstrates that society is not as secular as we often imagine it to be.”
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To Peter. Secularism means we have to think for ourselves and be responsible for our actions. Morality and religion are not linked. It is religion that has no place in our political system.
Charlie, Munich,
I believe, Jesus Christ (pbuh) was NOT crucified. It is written clearly both in the Quran and the Bible.
Quran:
"And [on account of] their saying: "We killed the Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, messenger of God. "They did not kill him and they did not crucify him, but it was made to seem so to them. Those who argue about him are in doubt about it. They have no real knowledge of it, just conjecture. But they certainly did not kill him.
(Qur'an, 4:157)"
Bible:
The Apocalypse of Peter (Too many quote, so i'll post a non-Islamic credible source) - please read slowly can carefully.
http://wesley.nnu.edu/biblical_studies/noncanon/apoc/fgapcpt.htm
Peace!
Mohammed, London, UK
I think that the real question is: what exaxtly does secularism as a philosophy actually have to offer our society? The fact that it is having an influence on our Nation's political system and infecting the minds of democratically elected people who are mandated to protect our individual freedoms is quite disturbing. Its own intent of pushing "religion" to the fringes of society is similar to an extremist Islamic intent and is deplorable and should be rejected. Our Nation is struggling to find a moral narrative to create cohesion and these two extremist ideas are just bringing us back in time. So let us look forward and examine those elements that exist within our society that can express peace and vision. Christianty isn't perfect but it is clearly something that has serious value in creating a cohesive way of living together i.e its emphasis of loving neighbour, as are other faiths too and none. We all have a conscience and ablity to judge right from wrong, let us use this faculty.
Peter, Nottingham, UK