My Recent Temple Blog - Bombings and persecutions – but should we call this Christophobia?

 The bombings of churches in Sri Lanka on Easter Sunday are an evil act which strikes symbolically at the whole body of Christ across the globe and drags us and our worship back too soon from the joyful celebration of the empty tomb to the darkness and agony of Calvary. 

 

More at 

https://williamtemplefoundation.org.uk/blog-christophobia/

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UK Evangelicals :Conservative on morality – Political issues and culture wars - more data from Evangelical Alliance Research Programme

This post is a summary compilation of data collected from panels (opportunity samples) of self defined Evangelical Christians in the UK between 2010 and 2016 on issues around "family values", life issues and sexuality.

A version which is easier to read and print can be downloaded from

https://btcloud.bt.com/web/app/share/invite/c4ITY1U9vd

There is a long "puritan" or "holiness" tradition in Evangelical Christianity as believers have sought to follow Biblical teaching and the example of Jesus in their personal lives, and in many cases to advocate for or even impose virtue across society. Churches have often preached high standards of sexual morality, temperance, honesty, clean living and clean language and censured or excluded those guilty of such sins. Forgiveness is usually available (in theory at least) to those who repent of such sinful behaviour, and many classic evangelical testimonies involve a transformation from a life of addiction, criminality or promiscuity. Family life has been highly valued, traditionally when structured as a husband / father as head of the household / breadwinner with (one, faithful) wife and several lovely and obedient children. (The key findings on this are covered in Keith Whites chapter 6 in the 21^st Century Evangelicals book.. and in the "How's the Family? report)

Historically Wilberforce and Clapham sect were movers of moral reform and founders of the Society for the Suppression of Vice. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Society for the Suppression of Vice

A report from 1872 gives a flavour of its work in respect of pornography

http://www.victorianlondon.org/crime/suppression.htm

Society for the Suppression of Vice. -- This society, instituted in 1802, has laboured unremittingly to check the spread of open vice and immorality, and more especially to preserve the minds of the young from contamination by exposure to the corrupting influence of impure and licentious books, prints, and other publications, its difficulties have been greatly increased by the application of photography, multiplying, at an insignificant cost, filthy representations from living models, and the improvement in the postal service has further introduced facilities for secret trading which were previously unknown. There is but too great reason to know that in spite of all efforts these polluting productions are still circulated throughout the country, principally through the post- office, penetrating into the schools of both sexes. To put the law in force, seize the stock, and punish the offenders, it is necessary to engage trusty and intelligent paid agents, who have to make the purchases-- evidence of dealing ; and there are no funds at the disposal of Government and the police applicable to such purposes, and the country does not in these prosecutions allow any part of the expenses. No private individual will undertake the responsible and thankless duty of a public prosecutor. Hence the absolute necessity for such a society, and, but for its existence, the trade in licentious publications would be carried on with impunity. By a sustained course of action, conducted with great prudence and discretion, this society has so put the laws in force that not only for the last thirty years has there not been one single failure in its prosecutions, but in all its undertakings the committee have not encountered any public censure for overstepping the bounds of discretion in the selection of their objects for repression or prosecution. This society has been the means of suppressing the circulation of several low and vicious periodicals. Within the last two years it has also been the means of bringing to punishment, by imprisonment, hard labour, and fines, upwards of forty of the most notorious dealers, and within a few years has seized and destroyed the following enormous mass of corrupting matters :-- 140,213 obscene prints, pictures, and photographs; 21,772 books and pamphlets; five tons of letterpress in sheets, besides large quantities of infidel and blasphemous publications; 17,060 sheets of obscene songs, catalogues, circulars, and handbills ; 5,712 cards, snuff-boxes, and vile articles; 844 engraved copper and steel plates ; 480 lithographic stones ; 146 wood blocks ; 11 printing presses, with type and apparatus; 81 cwt. of type, including the stereotype of several works of the vilest description. To grapple with this gigantic evil the committee cannot count on more than ninety annual subscribers, producing on an average £100, and between £300 and £400 has been raised by casual donations. The salary of secretary and working staff, and rent of chambers, are limited to £160 per annum the rest of the contributions are devoted to the direct objects of the society. The committee earnestly appeal to the public for funds to aid them in their labours to suppress this abominable traffic. The president of the society is Lord Teignmouth, the secretary Mr. C. H. Collette, 28, Lincoln's Inn Fields ; and the bankers, Messrs. Hoare and Co. The testimony of many magistrates, teachers, and parents has shown the baneful effects of criminal literature, and we hope that this appeal for aid to this society in its useful labours for the suppression of vice will be liberally responded to.

source: Leisure Hour, 13^th January 1872

A more recent account of the concerns of British evangelicals which contrasts them with the (evangelical) Religious Right / Moral majority of the USA is found in Hatcher, A.C., 2017. Political and Religious Identities of British Evangelicals.

It was reviewed by Theos thus

https://www.theosthinktank.co.uk/comment/2017/08/15/political-and-religious-identities-of-british-evangelicals

When waging the culture war in the U.S. there are some "standard battles" for the Evangelical movement.[xiv]These include abortion, same–sex marriage and religious freedom in public spaces and in schools, "consistently, those issues are very salient to the American audience". However, "none of the 81 participants listed any of the standard cultural war issues" when suggesting the "most important issue facing this country". Instead of the dominant issues in the American culture war narrative, the problems raised by Hatcher's focus groups were "issues that are firmly grounded in the Social Justice tradition", such as 'poverty', 'employment' and income inequality.[xv]

Even debates around human sexuality were not a priority for the British Evangelicals Hatcher interviewed. Though doctrinally it appears Evangelicals continue to hold an orthodox view on marriage and sexuality, this is not translated into the realisation or desire for political mobilisation demanding change. There is, perhaps, defeatism among Evangelicals that the law is settled, as of March 2014, and that nothing can be done to reverse the U.K.'s legal status of same–sex marriage. One respondent concluded that "there's no going back, you can never turn things back to the way they were".[xvi]This again is the sentiment of Evangelicals who are a very small minority with limited capability to shift public opinion and swing votes, unlike their U.S. counterparts.

Yet media reports often make assumptions that Britain's religious right is on the rise

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/feb/01/britain-religious-right-on-rise

(However, the headline seems to say the opposite to the article!).

Often vocal groups are taken as the mainstream voice of evangelicals and indeed British Evangelical Organisations such as

Care https://www.care.org.uk/

Care for the Family https://www.careforthefamily.org.uk/

Christian Institute https://www.christian.org.uk/

represent these concerns..

with more extreme conservative viewpoints advocated by

Christian Concern https://www.christianconcern.com/

and Christian Voice https://www.christianvoice.org.uk/

On euthanasia

https://www.eauk.org/current-affairs/politics/assisted-suicide-puts-vulnerable-at-risk.cfm

So which issues are important to UK Evangelicals?

In our pre 2015 election survey we used a standard question used by opinion pollsters about the most important single issue .

Politics survey– August/September 2014
What would you say is the single most important issue facing the UK today?
Answer Options	Response Percent	Response Count
Poverty/inequality	31.5%	603
Economy	17.1%	327
Other (please specify)	12.6%	240
Race/immigration	6.2%	118
EU/Europe	6.1%	117
NHS/health	5.0%	95
Defence and security of the UK	4.6%	88
Scottish independence	4.3%	83
Education/schools	2.8%	53
Housing	2.2%	43
Environment	2.2%	42
Unemployment	2.0%	38
Crime/law and order	1.4%	27
Pensions/benefits	1.0%	20
Inflation/prices	0.9%	18
answered question		1912
skipped question		108

Our panel consider poverty/inequality the most important issue facing the UK today, contrasting sharply with the general population. Some 32% chose it as the most important issue compared to just 4% of the national population. The highest-ranked issue by the national population was race/immigration (selected by 21%), but just 6% of evangelicals thought this was the UK's key issue (see page 12).

We then asked two questions about the importance of a range of issues, firstly generic political, and secondly about "Christian issues".

Politics survey– August/September 2014
When considering how you will vote in the general election how important are these policy positions/issues to you?
Answer Options	Important to me and WILL affect my vote	Important to me but will not greatly affect my vote	Not very important to me	This would lessen my support for them
Policies which are likely to make a positive difference to the poorest people in the UK	61%	36%	3%	0%
Better health services	39%	55%	6%	0%
Policies which lead to sustained economic growth	38%	50%	11%	1%
Improving education	37%	55%	8%	0%
Reducing unemployment	37%	58%	5%	0%
A commitment to maintain overseas aid at a minimum of 0.7% of GDP	33%	46%	17%	4%
Strong commitment to law and order	29%	57%	13%	1%
Better pensions and care for the elderly	29%	61%	10%	1%
Reducing the power of the state over people's lives	23%	39%	34%	3%
Tackling climate change	21%	45%	29%	5%
Opposition to spending cuts affecting my local community	18%	50%	28%	4%
Reducing immigration to the UK	17%	30%	38%	16%
Maximising the UK's influence and protecting our interests in international relationships	14%	50%	34%	2%
Reducing the welfare budget	14%	35%	26%	25%

Politics survey– August/September 2014
When considering how you will vote in the general election, how important are these issues (often discussed among Christians) to you?
Answer Options	Important to me and WILL affect my vote	Important to me but will not greatly affect my vote	Not very important to me	This would lessen my support for them
Policies which ensure religious liberty and freedom of expression	71%	26%	2%	0%
Policies to eliminate human trafficking	59%	38%	3%	0%
Opposition to same-sex marriage legislation	46%	30%	16%	8%
A pro-life stance on euthanasia	45%	40%	13%	3%
Policies to reduce the need for foodbanks	42%	47%	10%	1%
A pro-life stance on abortion	41%	43%	12%	3%
Policies to introduce the living wage	41%	45%	12%	2%
Policies to reduce availability of pornography	40%	48%	12%	0%
Tax incentives in support of marriage	32%	45%	20%	2%
More generous treatment of refugees and asylum seekers	24%	53%	19%	5%
Policies to tighten regulations on gambling	23%	53%	24%	0%
Support for faith schools	23%	48%	26%	3%
Policies to reduce consumption of alcohol	17%	52%	29%	2%

Earlier in 2013 we had asked our panels to rate the importance of a selected range of issues which had been suggested by a number of Evangelical Alliance partner organisations.

Omnibus Survey August 2013	Very important or Of some importance	Very important	Of some importance	Not very important	Not at all important
Access to pornography for young children	99%	73%	26%	1%	0%
Marriage and the family	98%	80%	18%	1%	1%
Human trafficking	98%	71%	27%	2%	0%
Protection of free speech	95%	60%	35%	4%	0%
Education in schools (especially the importance of RE and teaching of sex education)	95%	60%	35%	4%	1%
Abortion	91%	50%	41%	8%	1%
Assisted suicide and euthanasia	91%	44%	46%	9%	1%
Gambling	86%	31%	55%	13%	1%
Other important issues (please specify)						144
answered question						1298
skipped question						135

We also asked about issues on which they may have written letters to MPs or the media. Marriage (with same-sex marriage legislation before Parliament at the time), human trafficking, poverty, and assisted suicide appeared particularly important causes.

The Evangelical Alliance view on euthanasia

https://www.eauk.org/current-affairs/politics/assisted-suicide-puts-vulnerable-at-risk.cfm

In a second omnibus survey we asked a variation of questions around the importance of such issues. Responses showed that while life issues and sexuality remain important concerns they are no longer the overwhelming priorities for Evangelical political campaining in the UK, in comparison with human trafficking, poverty and social justice and religious liberty.

21st Century Evangelicals survey– May 2014
Do you feel you have enough information and knowledge to contact your MP (or write to your local newspaper) on each of the following issues?
Answer Options	Yes – I am concerned and well informed	No - I am not very well informed but am concerned	I am unlikely to write about this	I don't know anything about this	Response Count
The legality and regulation of abortion	49%	28%	21%	2%
Religious freedom of speech	48%	37%	13%	2%
The extent and availability of online pornography	43%	39%	16%	3%
Parliamentary debates on assisted suicide	42%	37%	18%	3%
The Modern Day Slavery Bill	35%	48%	11%	6%
The creation of three parent embryos for mitochondrial diseases	19%	34%	26%	22%
answered question					1384
skipped question					135

21st Century Evangelicals survey– May 2014
How important do you think it is for Christian organisations to build a campaign on the following issues?
Answer Options	Very important	Important	Not important	I'm not aware of this issue	Response Count	VI + Important
Providing protections for the victims of human trafficking	80%	19%	1%	0%	1377	99%
Limiting the continued supply of violent and abusive pornography	74%	24%	2%	0%	1371	98%
Preventing the legalisation of assisted suicide	51%	36%	12%	1%	1370	87%
Creating a tax and benefit system that supports marriage	33%	46%	20%	1%	1367	79%
Preventing the creation of three parent embryos	36%	30%	15%	19%	1367	67%
Preventing the introduction of presumed consent for organ donation	12%	25%	57%	6%	1368	37%
answered question					1383
skipped question					136

1846 and All That - What is Evangelicalism? - Spring 2016

Which of the following current issues should be most important for the Alliance's advocacy and campaigns today? Please rank from 1 to 5 marking the most important as 1 and the least important as 5

Our survey on Ethical Consumerism in November 2015 showed that evangelicals also had a wide range of concerns about economic and environmental justice.

Ethical Consumerism November 2015
How concerned are you about each of the following ?  Please tick one per row
Answer Options	taking some action or campaigning about it	somewhat concerned	not very concerned	not at all concerned	Response Count
people-trafficking and modern slavery	46%	54%	1%	0%
international trade injustice	27%	61%	10%	2%
cheap goods produced by cheap labour	27%	62%	10%	1%
carbon emissions and global warming	26%	51%	18%	5%
tax avoidance by multinational companies	24%	65%	9%	2%
employment on less than the living wage	23%	67%	9%	1%
the way sexualised images and language are used in advertising	21%	70%	8%	0%
bribery and corruption in global businesses	20%	70%	9%	1%
supermarkets' contracts with British farmers	20%	63%	14%	2%
deregulated Sunday trading	19%	55%	21%	5%
products that degrade the environment (e.g. palm oil, cattle ranches, rainforest timber)	19%	57%	22%	3%
UK trade with oppressive regimes	18%	71%	10%	2%
excessive food miles	14%	55%	26%	6%
the arms trade	14%	67%	17%	2%
promotion of gambling	13%	72%	14%	1%
promotion of tobacco	11%	62%	25%	3%
promotion of alcohol	7%	58%	29%	5%
answered question					1410
skipped question					59

Contemporary Sins.

It is commonplace to think that Christians when they talk about sin or vice are primarily concerned with sex. One question asked in 2015 suggests that there is widespread concern about sexual morality but that there is even more widespread concern about consumerism / materialism and the celebrity culture and that several other vices are also of concern.

British values survey: May 2015
Which of these vices do you consider to be the most widespread among the British population today? Please tick up to three
Answer Options	Response Percent	Response Count
Consumerism	65%	1047
Obsession with celebrity	58%	925
Sexual licence/promiscuity	51%	822
Apathy	41%	666
Financial greed	37%	597
Selfishness	35%	569
Drunkenness	23%	374
Class prejudice	13%	214
Arrogance	11%	172
Racism	10%	160
Lying	9%	148
Sexism	5%	80
Violence	5%	78
Theft	2%	39
Other (please specify - single words only)		50
answered question		1609
skipped question		121

A second way of checking out evangelicals' ranking of various bad behaviour was to explore views of which sins warrant church discipline. The table below is complex and hard to interpret but it is clear that adultery (especially among church leaders) is seen as disruptive to church life and likely to be taken very seriously. In contrast dishonesty or theft and domestic violence are more likely to be seen as matters for the police. For many other issues there seems to be a preference for trying to deal with difficult issues in a pastoral more private manner. One would hope that given the recent scandals over safeguarding and abuse within church and other institutions that churches might be seriously thinking affess about their customorary policies, practices and preferences for dealing with such damaging matters.

21st Century Evangelicals February 2013 - Church life
In most churches, conflict or sinful behaviour sometimes comes to light. How should a church deal with the following situations? You may tick more than one box in each row, for example if you think there should be a stage-by-stage process.
Answer Options	This is not a matter of concern to the church	A pastoral conversation with those involved	Leaders should draw up some clear guidelines of behaviour and terms of involvement in church life	A formal church disciplinary procedure including a public statement of the outcome	A formal process involving the authorities, police or the courts	Response Count
Adultery involving the church leadership	1%	46%	44%	81%	2%
A disagreement that has become an ongoing feud or power struggle in the church	1%	66%	56%	46%	0%
Adultery among church members	1%	66%	54%	42%	2%
Theft or financial irregularity	1%	46%	39%	41%	55%
Racism, sexism or bullying	1%	59%	59%	35%	18%
A dispute with a church employee over pay, conditions or performance	2%	56%	65%	28%	9%
Domestic violence in a church family	1%	61%	34%	24%	63%
Dishonesty or lying	1%	84%	35%	13%	3%
A convicted sex offender wanting to be involved in church life	3%	55%	75%	13%	20%
An openly gay or lesbian couple wanting to be involved in church life	9%	69%	57%	6%	0%
A church member with a job in a 'dubious' industry such as gambling or the arms trade	12%	81%	27%	6%	2%
Gossiping or backbiting	2%	92%	26%	5%	0%
A couple who live together without being married wanting to be involved in church life	9%	75%	50%	4%	0%
Any other comments about the practice of church discipline.						258
answered question						1480
skipped question						202

Abortion..

The public assumption is that Evangelicals are against abortion.. The Brook Clinic website (showing immense religious illiteracy) lumps evangelicals together with JWs

The Jehovah's Witnesses and some Evangelical Christian churches teach that abortion is absolutely unacceptable in all circumstances https://www.brook.org.uk/our-work/abortion-ethics-and-religion

However speaking out on the issue is not necessarily the norm. Abortion is a no-go area for Church of England's flagship conservative evangelical church

http://anglican.ink/2019/01/11/abortion-is-a-no-go-area-for-church-of-englands-flagship-conservative-evangelical-church/

The official EA view on abortion law in (N. ) Ireland is here

https://www.eauk.org/press-releases/statement-in-response-to-abortion-referendum-in-ireland

and https://www.eauk.org/press-releases/statement-in-response-to-abortion-referendum-in-ireland

https://www.eauk.org/current-affairs/politics/life-issues.cfm

Baseline 2010

In the baseline survey there was one starkly worded question about abortion. The results to this question provide a complete spectrum of opinions. While women were significantly if only slightly more likely to express strong opposition to abortion, it is younger evangelicals who are significantly more likely to think that abortion can never be justified, while older people are more likely to think

that abortion, in some instances, is justifiable. However, without more research

to explore the circumstances where evangelicals find abortion justifiable, it's unwise to interpret the findings in any great detail.

Table: abortion can never be justified * Are you male or female [column %].
	Are you male or female
abortion can never be justified	male	female	Total
agree a lot	22%	25%	24%
agree a little	19%	17%	18%
unsure	17%	18%	18%
disagree a little	25%	25%	25%
disagree a lot	17%	16%	16%
N of Valid Cases	11682

Table: abortion can never be justified * How old are you [column %].
	Age16 -24	25+%	35+%	45+%	55	65	75	Total
agree a lot	28%	28%	26%	22%	21%	24%	21%	24%
agree a little	19%	15%	18%	18%	17%	16%	21%	18%
unsure	17%	20%	18%	17%	18%	16%	19%	18%
disagree a little	22%	23%	23%	26%	27%	25%	21%	25%
disagree a lot	14%	14%	15%	17%	17%	19%	19%	16%

N of Valid Cases

11789

A slightly more nuanced statement was used in the Building Tomorrow's Church today survey of 2015 with which 60% of evangelicals aged 35 or under agreed a lot or a little (significantly more than the non- evangelical Christians in the sample).

Table: self identifies as evangelical * Abortion can never be justified (unless the mother's life is in immediate danger) [row %].
BUILDING TOMORROW'S CHURCH TODAY 2015	Abortion can never be justified (unless the mother's life is in immediate danger)
self identifies as evangelical	Agree a lot	Agree a little	Unsure	Disagree a little	Disagree a lot
evangelical	38%	22%	19%	14%	7%
not evangelical	20%	13%	17%	19%	32%
Total	33%	20%	18%	15%	13%

In our omnibus survey of 2015 a more focussed question on abortion in the case of a pre-natal diagnosis of Down's syndrome was included.

21st Century Evangelicals survey February 2015
In response to a broadcast debate "When does human life begin?" A mother tweeted: "I honestly don't know what I would do if I were pregnant with a kid with Down's syndrome. Real ethical dilemma." A well-known author tweeted back: "Abort it and try again. It would be immoral to bring it into the world if you have the choice." Which of the following statements corresponds best to your view?
Answer Options		Response Percent	Response Count
No abortions should be allowed simply on the grounds that Down's syndrome in the foetus has been diagnosed		64.4%	942
It is an agonising ethical dilemma but the mother should be free to choose what to do		35.5%	519
A woman in this position should have an abortion and try again		0.1%	2
Please feel free to tell us about your views			351
answered question			1463
skipped question			83
Number	Response Date	Please feel free to tell us about your views	Categories

The range of comments spanned a wide range of views expressed much empathy for both the child and the parents. Many stressed their belief that life is sacred and every unborn child should have the right to life, some of them in stark and rigid terms.

Do not use language manipulation like "foetus" or "abortion". Such language is used to soften the impact of what takes place ie Killing a child.

God creates life for a reason. Not all people have full abilities but all glorify God by doing what they can and by reflecting His image made in them. For those who have disabilities, there are opportunities for others to reflect the image of Christ by helping them. If we aborted all "imperfect" foetuses then not only would we be murdering those to whom God has given life but 90% would be aborted - the proportion increasing as more conditions were diagnosed in the womb. Then who decides which "imperfections" qualify for abortion? Is it Hitler's Aryan race? It would also make the human gene pool weaker and the human race would eventually die out, so there are scientific as well as scriptural arguments against abortion on the basis of disability.

I would consider an abortion acceptable only in circumstances where the failure to abort would inevitably result in the death of both the mother and the baby - e. g. ectopic pregnancy. Please note the correct word is 'baby', not 'foetus'.

I believe that abortions shouldn't happen as life begins way before birth and we have no right to determine who lives and dies.

I don't believe there is a clear scriptural position on when a couple of cells become a human person. It is biological life but is it a person? Verses quoted ignore the context e.g when the following verses speak of being formed in the depths of the earth. Sanctity of life is misnamed, value of life is better.

No abortion unless pregnancy life threatening to mother

I believe in the sanctity of life and would only accept abortion on a life and death issue

This is something I feel particularly strongly about. I faced this decision in 2013 when our unborn child was diagnosed with anencephaly, a condition that was described to us as "incompatible with life". We continued with the pregnancy full term, giving birth to a son who lived for 104hours. I realise this is an extreme example but I very much believe in the validity of every life and cannot understand how, in an age of equality (particularly for those with disabilities) there can be different laws relating to the age of gestation at which an abortion can take place.

. People with Down's syndrome have a right to life and access to life's opportunities just as any other person, and can be enabled to do so with the right support. People with a disability and their families should have that necessary support.

The child has the right to life. It is not only a matter of the mother's right.

Sanctity of life should be preserved where ever possible.

I don't agree with abortion at any level or for any reason

I Believe murder is murder

I was over 40 when I became pregnant. I refused a test for Downs when I was told that there was a 1 in 100 risk of miscarriage with this test. It seemed an unnecessary risk, when there would be no way I would consent to my baby being aborted in any case. It is not my 'right' to end another person's life, no matter how inconvenient or upsetting I find their existence. The fact that that person is inside of me (therefore totally dependent upon me) is irrelevant to the morality of this decision.

I am not sure I could cope with bringing up a child with Down's Syndrome. Our vicar's youngest child has Down's Syndrome so I have a slightly better idea than I had previously. However, I also believe life is sacred and we cannot just dispose of it.

Abortion is murder

Don't kill the child.....If you don't want to look after the child let be adopted

Anti abortion, life begins at conception.

I disagree with abortion, but as a man its easy for me to say that

The Bible is clear that life is God's to give and to take away.

It was extremely rare to find a comment that advocated an abortion in this instance.

With two children working with very vulnerable young adults, I hear about the painful lives some young children have. some are blind and have complex needs. I wouldn't want to see a child have a life where they are in constant misery.

There were many more comments which with many and various nuances supported the right and freedom of a mother to choose whether or not to have a termination of the pregnancy

Unless you have stood in her shoes, no one should judge her decision. I wouldn't abort under any circumstances but I will not impose my views on anyone, and certainly not non-Christians.

Tempted to tick first option but having had an abortion myself after being raped (which I can't forgive myself for but which Jesus has forgiven) then I am not in a position to deny it to anyone else

For me I would be uncomfortable to be so rigid as to say no abortions if the baby had DS. Personally I would not have an abortion and I hope most Christians would agree but I wouldn't want that enshrined in law. As an adopter of children with DS and an advocate and strong supporter of people with learning disabilities I think we could all do more to be more welcoming and accepting. To judge others - not so easy

As a Christian I believe that people have to be free to make their own choices, but this does not mean that their choices are necessarily right: we can't legislate morality, but we can argue powerfully for our belief that all people are equally important.

We cannot judge a woman in this situation. Her decision is between her and God.

A society where we take away the rights of a mother to have control over her body is not a humane society

I feel strongly that it is wrong for Christians to tell other people what to do in this situation. It depends so much on circumstances, other siblings and a host of other factors. Also I think it is wicked to insist that women should not abort and then not lift a finger to support them in what is usually a very difficult situation.

parents should be offered counselling and the joys as well as the trials of parenting a child with downs syndrome made known so they can make their own decision for what is best for their own family

As Christians, of course, we have an opinion, but I do not believe it our right to impose that on others. We should be free to voice our opinion but we should also stand alongside these poor women in love and compassion and support them whatever their decision. It is very difficult either way.

I think that had I been faced with this, I would have chosen to keep my child. They are valuable human beings even if disabled. However, we perhaps should also respect that some people would feel completely unable to cope with this situation. I don't think we should decide for someone else.

I tend, on a practical level, to the position that people should be free to make their own decisions. But on a philosophical, legal and theological level, I cannot support the taking of human life and would prefer the law not to support this

I would never choose to have an abortion myself, but could understand someone (especially a non-Christian) wanting to

I believe that at the end of the day, the parents have to choose what to do. I would strongly urge them to go to term with the pregnancy and offer support as they raise their child, pointing them in the direction of expert organisations and also friends of mine who are raising down's syndrome children

I believe the Christian response is to have the baby and care for it. I chose not to I would not be screened to prevent myself having this dilemma. However I think it is important that people of different or no faith have the option to honestly assess whether they are capable of loving and caring for the child as required - if the answer is no I think abortion should be open to them.

Personally I believe that the child should be allowed to live no matter what, but it would be wrong to force my beliefs (or for the pro-choice lobby to force their beliefs) on to someone else. God gave us all free will, not just the Christians.

Many other comments were about positive experiences of and with people with Down's syndrome, in families and churches.

People with Down's syndrome are people and should be recognised and valued not seen as second class citizens whom it is acceptable to dispose of! Sorry but I have been involved with people with learning difficulties for much of my life both professionally and voluntarily . I know and have known many people with Down's syndrome currently having 4 pupils in my year 8 tutor group with Downs and many adult friends at Gateway who have Down's syndrome and live valuable lives.

We have a Down's syndrome person making valuable contributions to the church

I know many people with Down's syndrome who lead happy, loving lives. No human being is perfect - we all carry multiple abilities and disabilities

Why should Down's syndrome ever be a reason to abort a baby? I don't believe the test should ever be carried out. We search for the "perfect" baby, but what are we - deeply imperfect. .

The foetus of a friend of ours was diagnosed as Downs syndrome. In the event the child was did not suffer from that condition and now plays an active part in the life of our church.

We have had a member of our family who had Down's syndrome. His life was a rich one full of humour and love and he gave more of both than he could ever receive.

It IS an agonising time but Down's syndrome youngsters can be supported and often do very well.

Down's syndrome people live happy rewarding lives, why kill them?

I know and have worked with many children, young people and adults with down's syndrome - they are wonderful, yes life is challenging but more for parents/ carers that those with the condition. If the choice is between life and death then someone with downs syndrome in my experience brings and gives more to life than those of us without.

I know and have worked with many children, young people and adults with down's syndrome - they are wonderful, yes life is challenging but more for parents/ carers that those with the condition. If the choice is between life and death then someone with downs syndrome in my experience brings and gives more to life than those of us without.

Many more comments empathised with the agonising dilemma such a situation could be and some suggested what they would choose to do as Christian parents might not be best for other people.

... it is an agonising dilemma.

Like many I struggle with this is issue and my position moves between options 1 and 2 based on context. I would like to see a broader discussion on these issues from a Christian perspective underpinned by an understanding that to live by position 1 needs the grace that comes from a transformative faith and is not one that can be imposed on those who do not have that faith.

Medical science and advancements give us may agonising ethical dilemmas.

I think the middle ground is the best option because the two extremes are black and white, and this is a very grey area.

That is my immediate response regarding abortion, however, situations are extremely varied and choices are made in community not by one person in isolation so the options of response do not reflect the true choices available in this country.

I really don't know what I feel about abortion. We can say we have our views, Biblically based or not but, until we are in the situation ourselves we can never really know.

I am not pro the vast majority of abortions. I believe life begins at conception. I also have huge compassion for those who find themselves in agonising places, whose circumstances I have no insight into. I would want to love and support the woman whatever her choices.

I don't agree with abortion on the grounds of disability. However, I do from personal experience in my extended family empathise with the dilemma, particularly given the appalling level of care for disabled children and, in our experience, complete lack of family support for parents and siblings.

The church can only take a position on the abortion if individual Christians are willing to step up and offer the support that is lacking in wider society.Parents of disabled children and the children themselves face a lifetime of prejudice and bullying- Christians have a role to play here, too. So it's not as simple as opposing abortion - it's what we as Christians are willing to do to support and care about disability.

But I'm glad that I'm not the one in that position.

It IS an agonising dilemma for BOTH parents . They should be given Christian counselling both before and long after the child is born. This should be by qualified obstetricians and paediatricians who are Reformed Christians

I don't agree with abortions, but cannot condemn other views that differ to my own, I am not a judge, but I do know of the agony of regret that some people go through after abortions, even with severe disabled children

I know I couldn't abort a child (just from having learnt about what it means to abort a child at school and the way a foetus grows) however I don't feel I have the right to tell other women what to do. I think it's an agonising dilemma but I question whether we should be able to play God and test for Down's syndrome in the first place.

Each individual case needs looking at - I personally wouldn't abort under any circumstances.

This is too complex an issue to be summarised in 3 statements.

The conclusion from these findings is that while UK Evangelicals are for the most part "pro-life" in their views on abortion only a minority hold extreme or un-nuanced views of the issue. Most would not themselves countenance an abortion for themselves or immediate family other than in extreme circumstances. They would advise and support other women to carry their child to birth, but would probably not campaign for legislation to ban all abortions or deny women the freedom to decide for themselves in difficult circumstances. Yet there is widespread concern over the idea that children likely to be born with a disability should be aborted, and over the perceived casual use of abortion as a way of preventing unwanted babies coming into the world.

Gender Roles

One of the major debates in church life in recent decades has centred around the role of women in ministry and church leadership. The popular perception is that Christians and Catholics and Evangelicals in particular take a traditional conservative stance and are reluctant to give equality to women. In reality evangelicals are divided between those who are theologically "complementarian" and seek restrictions on female leadership and those who are "egalitarian". Within the research several pertinent questions were asked in various surveys.

In the baseline survey of 2010 the majority of respondents took an egalitarian view.

In the 2015 survey of youn Christian adults a similar picture emerged, though it was evident that non evangelical respondents were even more likely to advocate full equality between genders.

	Women should be eligible for all roles within the Church in the same way men are
BUILDING TOMORROW'S CHURCH TODAY 2015	Agree a lot	Agree a little	Unsure	Disagree a little	Disagree a lot
evangelical	55%	16%	8%	12%	9%
not evangelical	74%	13%	6%	5%	3%
Total	60%	15%	8%	10%	7%

Two questions asked in 2016 focussing on the marks of an evangelical suggests that for over 40% of evangelicals these issues are of little importance and that only 8% see oppoosition to women in church leadership and ministry as a defining feature of evangelical faith. Yet at the same time there seems to be significantly more support for the idea of male headship in marriage and family life.

1846 and All That - What is Evangelicalism? - Spring 2016
In order to be called an evangelical how important is it that a Christian should ...
Answer Options	It's absolutely essential	It's usual and ought to be so	They may do so, but it's not required	They should not do so	Response Count
support male headship in marriage and the family	14%	32%	42%	12%	100%
believe in the equality of women in church leadership roles	19%	31%	42%	8%	100%
answered question					1396
skipped question					88

Marriage and Family Values – From the How's the family? Survey and report 2011

Christians in general consider marriage to be "an honourable estate" and evangelical culture in general seems to expect church members to be married or remain single and celibate. Opinions and views about marriage and family life are best understood in the context of practice – which in many ways marks out evangelical Cgristians as distinctly counter cultural in the UK today.

Around 80% of UK evangelicals agree a lot or a little that sexual intercourse outside of marriage is always wrong, and there is very little variation by gender or age group.

Baseline Survey 2010

Table: sexual intercourse outside of marriage is always wrong * Are you male or female .
	Are you male or female
sexual intercourse outside of marriage is always wrong	male	female	Total
agree a lot	66%	64%	65%
agree a little	15%	14%	14%
unsure	7%	9%	8%
disagree a little	7%	7%	7%
disagree a lot	6%	6%	6%
Total	100%	100%	100%

N of Valid Cases

11856

Table: sexual intercourse outside of marriage is always wrong * How old are you .
	How old are you
sexual intercourse outside of marriage is always wrong	Aged 16-24	25+%	35+%	45+%	55+%	65+%	75+	Total
agree a lot	62%	66%	64%	63%	64%	68%	72%	65%
agree a little	15%	13%	15%	16%	15%	10%	13%	14%
unsure	9%	8%	8%	8%	8%	8%	5%	8%
disagree a little	6%	7%	7%	8%	8%	7%	4%	7%
disagree a lot	7%	6%	6%	6%	5%	7%	7%	6%
N of Valid Cases	11963

The patterns among evangelicals aged under 35 are broadly similar and contrast with the figures for none evangelicals

BUILDING TOMORROW'S CHURCH TODAY 2015
To what extent do you agree with the following statements?
	Agree a lot or a little	Agree a lot	Agree a little	Unsure	Disagree a little	Disagree a lot
Sexual intercourse outside of marriage is always wrong	72%	52%	20%	8%	8%	12%
evangelical	82%	60%	22%	8%	6%	4%
not evangelical	44%	29%	15%	9%	13%	34%
Cohabitation is not something an unmarried Christian couple should do	66%	45%	21%	11%	11%	13%
evangelical	76%	53%	23%	10%	9%	5%
not evangelical	38%	20%	18%	12%	15%	35%
Christians should not marry 'non-Christians'	57%	32%	25%	11%	15%	17%
evangelical	66%	38%	28%	11%	14%	9%
not evangelical	29%	16%	13%	12%	20%	39%
answered question							1440
skipped question							335

Around 22% of our respondents in the family survey 2015 were single, with 37% of them living alone. There are 1.7 single females to each single man and among the over-55s, the imbalance rises to three single women to one single man. Around 61% of the under-35s said they were single, compared to 7.5% of the over-55s.

Over two thirds of our respondents are married, compared to only 49% of the adult population of England & Wales– a figure that is projected to to decrease over the 25-year period from 2008 to

2033, falling from 49% to 42%. The proportion of evangelical Christians who are divorced is

about half the national average.

Around 12.6% said they had lived together as a couple before getting married (albeit that given the relative old age profile of our panel – many married many decades ago before cohabitation became socially acceptable). Although this suggests a not insignificant (and probably increasing over the generations) number of Christians have lived together before marriage, the figure is still much lower than the three-quarters of couples nationally (Daily Telegraph, July 2009). There was however a greater difference when this was cross-tabulated against faith status at marriage – around 38% for those who were not Christians when they got married, compared to 8% for people who were Christians when they wed.

EA Family Survey Autumn 2011
Did you live together as a couple before you were married?
Answer Options	Response Percent	Response Count
Yes	11.9%	98
No	88.1%	729
answered question		827
skipped question		245

Some 80% of the male respondents were married, compared to 58% of the women – who are almost twice as likely as the men to be single, widowed or living in a relationship other than married. They are also four times as likely to be separated or divorced. This may suggest evangelical culture and churches are a particularly hostile environment for unmarried men over a certain age.

Around 89% (of married respondents) had been married before the age of 30, with the average age of marriage 25 for men and 24 for women. That's significantly lower than the national average of 30.7 for men and 28.5 for women. It is likely that Christians decide to marry young because they feel it wrong to live together or have sex before marriage.

Unequally yoked?

Around 81% of our respondents who had ever been married had married a committed Christian. But while around 87% of men had married a woman who was a Christian (and 13% not) at the time they got married, 23% of women had married a non-Christian man. This probably reflects more than anything else the comparative absence of eligible men in churches.

78% said Both partners were committed Christians at marriage 11% Neither the husband nor the wife were Christians when they married. For 5% The respondent was a committed Christian but spouse was not at marriage while for 6% The spouse was a Christian but respondent was not at marriage.

Overall the Christian marriages surveyed seem to be happy ones, with 69% stating they were very happy and another 20% stating they were fairly happy. Only 4% said they were unhappy in their marriage. Having a Christian spouse is a significant factor for a happy marriage. Over 90% of

Christian couples expressed happiness with their marriage, while only 66% of those in a mixed marriage did so.

EA Family Survey Autumn 2011
How happy are you with your marriage relationship at the moment?
Answer Options	Response Percent	Response Count
Very happy	64.6%	526
Fairly happy	19.2%	156
It's OK	6.5%	53
Fairly unhappy	1.8%	15
Very unhappy	1.8%	15
Not applicable	6.0%	49
answered question		814
skipped question		258

Marital stress, abuse and unfaithfulness

Marriages sometimes face difficulties and couples need help and support. Around 29%

said they had sought help at least once in their marriage. Of the 183 who gave some

more detailed information, the most frequent easily identifiable situations were:

• Relationship or communication difficulties (at least 33 cases)

• Infidelity (at least 18)

• Sexual problems (at least 17)

• Separation or divorce (at least 16)

• Spiritual or faith issues affecting the marriage (11)

• Issues with children (7)

Other issues mentioned more than a couple of times were: personal issues from the past, depression, infertility, pornography, and domestic violence or mental abuse.

We asked six questions about giving and receiving verbal and physical abuse and

unfaithfulness. Nearly 10% of respondents said they have at least once received physical

abuse or violence and 7% said they had given it. Although these figures seem quite shocking, they

are considerably lower than the commonly quoted statistic that 1 in four women (across Europe)

experience domestic violence at least once in their life. In addition the responses and the willingness to share some details about painful and profoundly personal issues suggest that there could be more cases of abuse where respondents are unwilling or unable to risk divulging in a survey.

The figures for unfaithfulness as revealed by our respondents are around 9%, and are broadly in

line with the 2011 Marriage Week survey in Northern Ireland which estimated that 11% of church

leaders had been unfaithful. The survey figures for abuse and infidelity are generally far lower

than UK averages (estimated to be 30-40%), but there is still much to be concerned about.

EA Family Survey Autumn 2011
In your marriage has there been abusive behaviour or unfaithfulness?
Answer Options	Frequently	On more than one occasion	Once only	Never	Response Count
I have received emotional or verbal abuse	5%	19%	3%	74%
I have given emotional or verbal abuse	1%	20%	4%	74%
I have received physical violence or abuse	1%	4%	5%	91%
I have given physical violence or abuse	0%	2%	5%	94%
I have been unfaithful to my partner.	0%	3%	5%	91%
To my knowledge my partner has been unfaithful to me	2%	3%	3%	92%
answered question					807
skipped question					265

Personal Family Life

The table below covers a block of questions about family life as experienced by the respondents. It shows that family is important, and for the most part strongly supportive and bonded and in many cases drawn together by shared faith. However for many people family life is not easy or close at hand and may be divided by geographical distance or conflict.

EA Family Survey Autumn 2011
Could you now think about your situation today. Please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with the following statements
Answer Options	Strongly agree	Agree	Not sure	Disagree	Strongly disagree	Not applicable	Response Count	SA + Agree
My family is (apart from God) the most important thing in my life.	50%	35%	8%	6%	1%	0%		85%
I am frequently in touch by phone, text, email or Facebook with family members who don't live with me.	30%	47%	5%	12%	4%	3%		77%
I have always had a strong, secure and loving family life.	35%	37%	8%	14%	6%	0%		72%
Our shared faith helps our family get on well together.	28%	37%	12%	9%	4%	9%		65%
I have a large extended family whom I can call on for support when needed.	11%	30%	9%	27%	18%	5%		40%
There are some people in my family with whom I have a very difficult or distant relationship.	12%	26%	6%	30%	24%	1%		39%
Most of my family live near enough to me so we can visit without having to travel more than an hour or so.	14%	20%	1%	29%	34%	2%		34%
I feel I was damaged by the way my parents brought me up.	8%	15%	12%	24%	40%	1%		22%
There are often disagreements about religion our family.	3%	11%	6%	41%	34%	4%		15%
answered question							1020
skipped question							52

Norms of Family Life

The table below gives some indication of how UK evangelicals think family life should be. The picture is somewhat traditional, with indications of a preference for a two parent stable and loving environment, where the husband / father should be present, involved and taking a leadership role and where children are given attention and care. There is however a wide range of views on the role of the woman/mother as main care giver, and and whether the suggested norm is best for every family. Comnentary in this section will be limited as it has been well covered by Keith White in Chapter 6 of the book "21^st Century Evangelicals".

EA Family Survey Autumn 2011
Please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with the following statements
Answer Options	Strongly agree	Agree	Not sure	Disagree	Strongly disagree	Response Count	SA + Agree
Fathers should be fully involved in caring for and raising their children.	64%	35%	1%	0%	0%		99%
Many children today suffer because there is no good male role model in the home.	46%	48%	5%	1%	0%		94%
Government should take action through the tax and benefit system to encourage and support marriage.	48%	40%	9%	3%	0%		88%
Children today are given too many things and not enough time and love.	33%	55%	10%	2%	0%		88%
Children and young people today are subject to too much pressure and stress.	32%	51%	11%	6%	0%		83%
Many children in the UK today suffer from poverty.	24%	50%	16%	8%	2%		74%
Young people today usually behave well and achieve great things.	9%	56%	22%	12%	1%		65%
A Christian husband should exercise headship over the wife.	14%	41%	20%	20%	6%		55%
A woman's main role in a family is to care for and nurture the children.	8%	38%	16%	31%	6%		47%
There are many different types of family today and we should accept all of them as equally valid.	11%	26%	26%	27%	9%		37%
answered question						961
skipped question						111

The Church and Single people

EA Family Survey Autumn 2011
Please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with the following statements.  For these questions the term "single" includes all those who are not currently married, including those who are divorced or widowed.
Answer Options	Strongly agree	Agree	Not sure	Disagree	Strongly disagree	Response Count	SA + agree
My church recognizes and affirms the gifts and contribution of single people in most aspects of its ministry and leadership.	26%	52%	14%	6%	1%		78%
Singleness provides an opportunity for a lifestyle dedicated to God and mission.	22%	56%	16%	5%	1%		78%
There's a good integration of married and singles in the community life of the church.	18%	54%	15%	11%	1%		73%
My church expects that if a Christian gets married, then it should be to another Christian.	25%	42%	19%	13%	1%		67%
Christian singles face lots of sexual frustrations and temptations.	22%	44%	26%	6%	1%		67%
Many single Christians have a difficult life.	13%	45%	26%	14%	2%		58%
My church offers good pastoral support for those who are struggling with relationships.	9%	39%	35%	15%	3%		48%
My church provides good teaching and Biblical reflection on issues around divorce and re-marriage	7%	25%	29%	32%	7%		32%
Christian singles should be encouraged to use introduction agencies and on-line dating agencies if they are looking for a marriage partner.	3%	21%	44%	24%	9%		23%
My church values married couples and families more highly than singles	6%	18%	20%	47%	9%		23%
My church provides good teaching on issues around singleness and support of singles.	5%	16%	30%	39%	10%		21%
answered question						981
skipped question						91

EA Family Survey Autumn 2011
When you were a child, which of the following best describes your family or household situation for most of the time?
Answer Options	Response Percent	Response Count
In a two parent family with own birth parents	86.4%	596
Adopted or fostered in a two parent family	2.0%	14
In a single parent family with mother following bereavement	2.3%	16
In a single parent family with mother following divorce or family breakup	3.5%	24
In a single parent family with father following bereavement	0.4%	3
In a single parent family with father following divorce or family breakup	0.4%	3
In a single parent family with a lone mother and absent father	1.0%	7
In a family with mother and a stepfather	2.0%	14
In a family with father and a stepmother	0.4%	3
In an extended family where relatives other than parents brought me up	0.6%	4
In institutional care	0.3%	2
In a variety of frequently changing situations	0.6%	4
Other (please specify)		16
answered question		690
skipped question		382

EA Family Survey Autumn 2011
Are you a parent (or step parent)?
Answer Options	Response Percent	Response Count
No (and never have been)	30.0%	315
Yes with youngest child in the household under 5	5.4%	57
Yes youngest child in the household aged between 5 and 11	7.6%	80
Yes youngest child in the household aged between 11 and 17	14.2%	149
Yes I have children at home but all are aged 18 or over	11.0%	115
I am a parent but none of my children are now living with me	31.7%	333
Other (please specify)		20
answered question		1049
skipped question		23

Our survey did reveal evangelicals are far less likely than the average Briton to live in single-parent households – 4% compared to 12% nationally.

Most of our respondents live in entirely Christian households (72%), while 28% live in homes where there are both Christians and non-Christians.

The Christian community is not immune from chronic illness, or physical and mental disabilities, and one in eight respondents had someone in their household with a disability or care support needs.

Views on same sex marriage and homosexuality

Christian views on homosexuality continue to hit the headlines and evangelicals in particular are stereotyped as "homophobic". The 21CE research programme took place at a period when there was vigorous debate about the inclusion of LGBTQ people in church activities and leadership, and about the legislation passing through Parliament enabling same-sex marriage. Despite widespread opposition from the churches and other religious groups The Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act became law in 2013

This was also the period when Oasis Trust led by Steve Chalke and the Evangelical Alliance parted company..a split widely reported resulting from disputes over the issue of inclusive acceptance of LGBTQ Christians etc.

The official EA view on sexuality https://www.eauk.org/resources/what-we-offer/reports/biblical-and-pastoral-responses-to-homosexuality

In the baseline survey of 2010 two questions measuring views about homosexuality were asked which distinguished between feelings and actions – a commonplace ethical distinction in evangelical culture. A small majority disagreed that such feelings were wrong in themselves and less than 30% agreed a lot or a little with the statement. There was a small statistically signifcant gender difference with men being more polarised than women on the issue. An age breakdown (surprisingly perhaps) showed that it was younger evangelicals who were more likely to agree that such feelings were wrong.

Table: it is wrong to have homosexual feelings * Are you male or female [column %].
	Are you male or female
it is wrong to have homosexual feelings	male	female	Total
agree a lot	18%	17%	18%
agree a little	12%	10%	11%
unsure	17%	21%	19%
disagree a little	22%	23%	23%
disagree a lot	31%	29%	30%
Total	100%	100%	100%

N of Valid Cases

11796

Table: it is wrong to have homosexual feelings * How old are you [column %].
	How old are you
it is wrong to have homosexual feelings	over 16	25+%	35+%	45+%	55+%	65+%	75+	Total
agree a lot	23%	24%	20%	15%	14%	18%	21%	18%
agree a little	12%	9%	11%	11%	10%	11%	11%	11%
unsure	20%	19%	18%	17%	19%	22%	24%	19%
disagree a little	20%	21%	22%	24%	24%	21%	19%	23%
disagree a lot	25%	26%	29%	32%	32%	28%	25%	30%
Total	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%
N of Valid Cases	11908

In terms of homosexual actions however, almost three-quarters of the evangelicals agreed a lot or a little that this was wrong. Significantly more men than women agreed a lot with this statement. The age breakdown showed that strong agreement in broad terms was likely to increase with age.

Table: homosexual actions are always wrong * Are you maleorfemale
	Are you maleorfemale
homosexual actions are always wrong	male	female	Total
agree a lot	64%	59%	61%
agree a little	13%	13%	13%
unsure	7%	11%	9%
disagree a little	7%	8%	8%
disagree a lot	9%	9%	9%
N of Valid Cases	11721

Table: homosexual actions are always wrong * Are you maleorfemale
Table: homosexual actions are always wrong * How old are you
	How old are you
homosexual actions are always wrong	over 16	25+%	35+%	45+%	55+%	65+%	75+	Total
agree a lot	59%	59%	60%	60%	63%	66%	65%	61%
agree a little	15%	14%	14%	13%	12%	10%	10%	13%
unsure	11%	10%	10%	9%	9%	7%	8%	9%
disagree a little	7%	8%	8%	9%	7%	7%	6%	8%
disagree a lot	9%	9%	9%	9%	9%	10%	11%	9%
Total	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%	100%
N of Valid Cases	11830

In the survey of young Christian adults the same statement ("Homosexual actions are always wrong") was used. But here the figue of evangelicals agreeing a lot or a little had decreased to 60%. Among the none evangelicals the proportion was less than half of this. This may reflect a change in the more lidberal direction over a five year period – though since these figures are from two independent opportunity samples it would be risky to draw firm conclusions. In the context of the then current debates 41% of the Evangelicals and 66% of non evangelicals agreed a lot or a little that "Regardless of whether I think homosexuality is right or wrong, I think in our plural society same-sex couples should be able to marry". This tends to suggest that opposition to the Marriage (Same Sex Couples) Act of 2013 is not as universal among evangelical Christians as some of the campaign groups and media commenatators have suggested, and that it may indeed be reducing over time with generational change.

BUILDING TOMORROW'S CHURCH TODAY 2015
To what extent do you agree with the following statements?
	Agree a lot or a little	Agree a lot	Agree a little	Unsure	Disagree a little	Disagree a lot
Homosexual actions are always wrong	52%	39%	12%	16%	9%	24%
evangelical	60%	46%	14%	16%	9%	15%
not evangelical	28%	21%	7%	12%	8%	52%
Regardless of whether I think homosexuality is right or wrong, I think in our plural society same-sex couples should be able to marry	47%	33%	14%	14%	11%	27%
evangelical	41%	26%	15%	15%	14%	31%
not evangelical	66%	56%	10%	12%	5%	17%
answered question							1440
skipped question							335

Same-sex marriage Politics q 18 (above)

Nonetheless specific questions about the legalisation were asked in various waves of the panel survey and did reveal widespread opposition to the change in the law. In 2011 80% felt the law should not be changed, and 72% that the proposals should be vigourously opposed. In 2014 76% felt it was an important election issue and 46% that it would affect their vote.

Easter Survey 2011
Answer Options	Yes	No	Unsure or Don't Know	Response Count
Should the legal status of marriage be extended to include other relationships including partnerships between same-sex couples?	11%	80%	10%
answered question				1129
skipped question				24

EA Family Survey Autumn 2011
Please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with the following statements
Answer Options	Strongly agree	Agree	Not sure	Disagree	Strongly disagree	Response Count	SA + Agree
Christians should vigorously oppose proposed changes in the law which would allow "gay marriage".	45%	27%	17%	8%	3%		72%
answered question						961
skipped question						111

Politics survey– August/September 2014
When considering how you will vote in the general election, how important are these issues (often discussed among Christians) to you?
Answer Options	Important to me and WILL affect my vote	Important to me but will not greatly affect my vote	Not very important to me	This would lessen my support for them
Opposition to same-sex marriage legislation	46%	30%	16%	8%

In 2016 30% felt that In order to be called an evangelical it's absolutely essentialto oppose same sex marriage legislation, 31% that it's usual and ought to be so, while only 8% thought they should not do so. In the same survey 42% thought the law that has redefined marriage will be a serious threat to evangelical Christianity in the UK.

1846 and All That - What is Evangelicalism? - Spring 2016
In order to be called an evangelical how important is it that a Christian should ...
Answer Options	It's absolutely essential	It's usual and ought to be so	They may do so, but it's not required	They should not do so	Response Count
oppose same sex marriage legislation	30%	31%	32%	8%	100%
answered question					1396
skipped question					88

1846 and All That - What is Evangelicalism? - Spring 2016
Which of these social, political and cultural trends do you see as an opportunity, challenge or threat to evangelical Christianity in the UK?
Answer Options	it could be a great opportunity	evangelicals will come to terms with this and adapt	it won't have much impact	it will be a serious threat		I don't know	Response Count
the law that has redefined marriage	10%	27%	15%	42%		5%
changing attitudes on homosexuality and gender fluidity	13%	26%	9%	44%		7%
Other opportunities or threats (please specify)							115
answered question							1300
skipped question							184

In the British values survey: May 2015 82% disagreed or strongly diagreed that all schools, including faith schools, should present same-sex marriage as equal to heterosexual marriage a mirroe image of the proportions who wanted the 10 commandments taught in school as the basis of morality.

British values survey: May 2015
How far do you agree...?
Answer Options	Strongly agree	Agree	Neither agree nor disagree	Disagree	Strongly disagree	Response Count
All schools, including faith schools, should present same-sex marriage as equal to heterosexual marriage	3%	5%	10%	27%	55%
All schools should be expected to teach Christian moral values as set out in the 10 Commandments	28%	40%	18%	12%	2%
answered question						1565
skipped question						165

In the Religions, Belief and Unbelief 2016 when asked for instances where respondents had been made to feel uncomfortable or pressured to be quiet about your faith it was when Speaking out as a Christian about your views on marriage or sexuality that was most likely to be mentioned – with about two thirds of evangelicals saying this had happened to them at least once.

Religions, Belief and Unbelief 2016
In the last five years, have you been made to feel uncomfortable or pressured to be quiet about your faith when...?
Answer Options	Never	Once or twice	Several times	Very often	Not applicable - never wanted do this		Response Count
Speaking out as a Christian about your views on marriage or sexuality (this was top of the list in examples offered by question)	29%	28%	24%	14%	5%
answered question							1222
skipped question							108

Views on Education

The schooling of children is an area where people of strong religious faith sometimes come into conflict with the secular authorities because they feel their values, ethics and world views may me marginalised or contradicted in the curriculum. In the period in question education in Britain was undergoing rapid policy changes, and the issues of parental choice and the support and independence of faith schools was frequently on the agenda. Our Education survey of 2012 explored many of the issues – and for this wave the panel included a higher proportion than usuals of teachers, school governors and others directly involved in education.

The table below suggests that in general terms evangelicals broadly accepted the balance of core subjects found on the National curriculum.

21st Century Evangelicals November 2012 - Education
Which of the following subjects are essential or important in the education of children and young people in primary and secondary schools?
Answer Options	Should be compulsory for all children throughout school life	Should be compulsory at an appropriate point in school life	Should be an option available to every child at some point in school life	Should not be on the curriculum	Response Count
English Language (reading and writing, grammar and spelling)	82%	17%	0%	0%
Mathematics	76%	23%	1%	0%
PE and sports	50%	40%	10%	0%
Science	50%	45%	5%	0%
Computing and Technology	48%	47%	6%	0%
Religious Education (with a predominantly Christian emphasis)	32%	43%	22%	3%
English Literature	25%	60%	15%	0%
At least one modern foreign language	23%	57%	20%	0%
British History	22%	65%	13%	0%
Religious Education (with a broad coverage of all the world faiths and value systems).	19%	55%	23%	2%
Politics, citizenship and current affairs	16%	61%	22%	1%
Sex and relationships education	16%	60%	19%	5%
World History (including issues around race and colonialism etc)	16%	63%	20%	1%
Art, Music, Dance & Drama	15%	49%	36%	0%
Geography	15%	67%	18%	0%
Latin	1%	7%	65%	28%
other (please specify) or comments on the curriculum					141
answered question					1151
skipped question					87

The only subject where there apears to be much disagreement about emphasis is religious education with about a third arguing that a predominantly Christian emphasis should be compulsory thoughout school life compared with less that one in five for Religious Education (with a broad coverage of all the world faiths and value systems).

The next table covers several issues around educational policy.

21st Century Evangelicals November 2012 - Education
What are your views on some of the current political issues in education? Please indicate how strongly you agree or disagree with the following statements. (NB we are aware that some of these issues and policies only affect England and apologise to respondents in the other nations of the UK - please feel free to skip any that do not affect you).
Answer Options	Strongly agree	Agree	Neither agree nor disagree (or no opinion)	Disagree	Strongly disagree	Response Count	SA+ Agree
Sex education without a clear moral value framework is harmful.	49%	36%	8%	5%	2%		85%
In a multilingual community everybody needs to learn and be taught through the medium of English.	38%	45%	10%	5%	1%		84%
Schools in deprived neighbourhoods should be given much greater resources.	24%	54%	18%	4%	1%		77%
The government should reduce the emphasis on testing children against target grades.	27%	46%	15%	9%	2%		74%
Every child should be guaranteed a place in a good quality nursery school from the age of three.	20%	39%	27%	13%	2%		58%
At least one parent should stay at home with their children until they start primary school.	17%	38%	29%	13%	2%		55%
Educational standards have gone down since I was at school.	14%	26%	35%	19%	5%		41%
I support the government's plan to replace coursework-based GCSEs with qualifications based on more rigorous exams (the EBacc - English Baccalaureate).	11%	28%	28%	23%	10%		39%
Government plans for academies or free schools independent of local authorities will improve the quality of education.	4%	20%	47%	20%	8%		25%
Private fee-paying schools should be abolished.	3%	8%	26%	38%	24%		11%
answered question						1142
skipped question						96

Here evangelicals show a significant concern for the moral basis of sex education, a broadly progressive view on issues of equality in education, support for both extensive nursery education and parental involvement with pre school children in the home. But they are also sceptical about government policy on extensive performance testing of children, reform of education and the promotion of acadamies and free schools.

The British Values survey of 2015 also covered some educational issues. There was overwhelming support for the freedom for Christians to be presnt and active in presenting their message in schools. There was also majority but not universal concern that a Christian ethos, values and world views should be strongly represented in schools.

British values survey: May 2015
How far do you agree...?
Answer Options	Strongly agree	Agree	Neither agree nor disagree	Disagree	Strongly disagree	SA + Agree
All schools should allow Christian teachers, local churches or other mission organisations to organise voluntary extra-curricular activities where the gospel can be openly presented and the Bible taught	50%	42%	6%	2%	1%	92%
All schools should be expected to teach Christian moral values as set out in the 10 Commandments	28%	40%	18%	12%	2%	68%
It is hard to find a school today that has a thoroughly Christian ethos	20%	34%	22%	21%	3%	54%
All schools, even in multi-faith areas, should be expected to hold a daily religious assembly of a mainly Christian nature	17%	27%	29%	23%	4%	44%
All schools, including faith schools, should present same-sex marriage as equal to heterosexual marriage	3%	5%	10%	27%	55%	8%
Schools should teach evolution as the only plausible account of the origins of life on earth	3%	9%	14%	33%	41%	12%
Other things you think are important about values in education						155
answered question						1565
skipped question						165

In another survey there was almost universal support for parents rights to teach their religion to children.

The Religions, Belief and Unbelief Survey 2016..							SA + Agree
Parents should have the right to teach  their children (including adopted and foster children) the values, beliefs and sexual morality found in their religion.	68%	30%	2%	0%	0%		98%

Freedom of Belief and Expression

Religious Liberty as highlighted earlier is a key concern for a large majority of UK evangelicals. In the The Religions, Belief and Unbelief Survey 2016 we asked a series of more detailed questions focussed on issues which had recently been in the news in the light of specific cases where evangelical Christians had been aggrieved by employers or legal decisions.

The Religions, Belief and Unbelief Survey 2016..
Some issues around equalities and religious liberty have been in the news in recent times. How far do you agree...?
Answer Options	Strongly agree	Agree	Neither agree nor disagree (or don't know)	Disagree	Strongly disagree	Response Count	SA + Agree
Preachers should have the right to express their beliefs about sin, judgement and hell even if people find these offensive.	57%	35%	6%	1%	0%		92%
A business should have the right to refuse to print, publish (or write in icing on a cake) a message with which it does not agree.	56%	33%	6%	4%	1%		89%
An employee should have the right to refuse to carry out practices that go against their conscience (e.g. sell alcohol or religiously-forbidden food, take part in abortion procedures, conduct a same-sex marriage),	54%	33%	7%	4%	1%		88%
No one should be prevented from expressing religious, moral or political views by being shouted down or by a "no-platforming" policy.	42%	43%	11%	4%	0%		85%
No one should be allowed to speak or write about another religious or social group in ways that stir up hostility, hatred or violence towards them.	46%	35%	10%	6%	2%		82%
An employee or student should have the right to speak or write openly and without fear of being disciplined about religious beliefs or values they hold, even where these may cause offence.	41%	40%	13%	5%	0%		81%
An employee should have the right to wear at work clothing, jewellery or another small item that symbolises their religious identity or beliefs.	34%	46%	13%	5%	1%		81%
There should be no legal right of protection from being offended by spoken or written words.	24%	32%	24%	17%	3%		56%
answered question						1208
skipped question						122

In almost every case over 80% of the panel supported the rights of conscince for Christians in such cases. At the same time a similar number agreed that No one should be allowed to speak or write about another religious or social group in ways that stir up hostility, hatred or violence towards them. The unanswered questions of course are where the law draws the line between somone being offended by words and legally defined "hate crime", and how far evangelicals themselves are willing to extend freedom to others who might say or write things which offend or victimise them.

Evangelicals and Addictions

Evangelicals with their theology of personal and social holiness have a long history of commitment to causes such as temperance, and legal restrictions on alcohol, drugs, gambiling and pornography.

In Omnibus May 2014 we asked a series of questions starting with asking for personal "confessions" . For most issues the reported rates were rather low, though it was striking that 22% of Evangelical men admitted they had (or had once had) an issue with pornography.

21st Century Evangelicals survey– May 2014
Have you personally ever struggled with any of the following types of dependency? Please tick all that apply
Answer Options	Response Percent	Response Count
Pornography	16.4% (22% of Men)	198
Online activity such as Facebook or excessive web use	9.0%	109
Smoking	8.2%	99
Eating disorders	7.1%	86
Alcohol	5.1%	61
Computer games	4.1%	50
Drugs (prescribed or illegal)	2.2%	26
Gambling	1.2%	15
None of the above	66.4%	801
Other (please specify)		30
answered question		1207
skipped question		312

Health and wellbeing practices

In the Health and wellbeing survey of August 2015 we asked about unhealthy lifestyle patterns. The overwhelming majority reported a sober and healthy lifestyle (I guess any who were drunk or high when starting the survey would have been incapable of giving a coherent answer!). The only exception admitted by substantial numbers of respondents were over-eating and inactivity.

Health and wellbeing August 2015
Have any of the following behaviours ever been part of your lifestyle?
Answer Options	never done this	used to but have given this up	have reduced doing this	still do this	Response Count
an inactive (couch potato) lifestyle	61%	9%	21%	9%
eating excessively	66%	10%	17%	7%
smoking	81%	17%	1%	1%
drinking alcohol to excess	81%	14%	4%	1%
eating too little	92%	5%	2%	1%
self harm	94%	5%	1%	0%
using illegal drugs	94%	5%	0%	0%
being dependent on (addicted to) prescription drugs	96%	1%	1%	2%
Other (please specify)					48
answered question					1610
skipped question					93

While a large majority report some care over diet only 20% are curently teetotal and less still are committed to a fitness training routine (though we should note the bias in the sample towards older people – who may not be so athletic as in earlier years).

Have you ever chosen to do any of the following as part of your lifestyle?
Answer Options	never done this	used to but have given this up	still do this	Response Count
following a strict exercise or fitness routine	58%	24%	18%
total abstinence from alcohol	61%	19%	20%
avoiding particular foods that are bad for your health	27%	8%	65%
taking care to follow a healthy diet	9%	10%	80%
Other (please specify or give further details))				136
answered question				1603
skipped question				100