Good Learning Co.
SavannahYear 8
← Religion & Worldviews
Religion & WorldviewsNon-religious worldviews and big questions25 min★★ difficulty

Belief in modern Britain

Britain today is more religiously diverse and less religiously affiliated than fifty years ago. Both statements are true at once, and the evidence shows why.

Lesson overview

What you'll learn in this lesson

Describe the place of religion and belief in modern Britain using evidence

Key learning points

  • • What the data shows
  • • Religion in public life
  • • Living together

This lesson at a glance

  • 25 minutes
  • 16 parts to scroll through
  • 4 quick checks
  • Marked quiz at the end
  • Gentle pace: short sittings with pauses

Words to know

religionbeliefmodernbritainevidence

Scroll down — the lesson carries on below

Part 1 of 16 · Discover6%
1

Watch & discover

Part 1 of 16

Watch first

Belief in modern Britain

An English teaching video on this topic from A World Without. Watch it, then scroll down for the lesson.

In a nutshell

Describe the place of religion and belief in modern Britain using evidence

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Learning cycle

Part 2 of 16

Learning cycle 1 of 2

Part 1 · What the data shows

A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.

3

Explore the idea

Part 3 of 16

Learn

What the data shows

Census results since 2001 show a large fall in the proportion identifying as Christian, a rise in those recording no religion, and growth in several minority faith groups, concentrated in particular cities. National figures hide big regional differences.

4

Explore the idea

Part 4 of 16

Learn

Religion in public life

The Church of England is the established church, bishops sit in the House of Lords, and the monarch has a religious role. At the same time, equality law protects religion and belief, including non-belief, and schools must teach RE without promoting any single faith.

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Quick check

Part 5 of 16

Quick check

Which two trends do census data show together?

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Quick check

Part 6 of 16

Quick check

What does 'established church' mean?

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Reset break

Part 7 of 16

Pause

That's sitting 1 of 2 done

Stretch, get a drink, look out of the window. There is no timer and nothing is counting down — your place is saved, so you can come back in five minutes or tomorrow.

Stop here for now
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Learning cycle

Part 8 of 16

Learning cycle 2 of 2

Part 2 · Living together

A short piece of teaching, then a check to make sure it has landed.

9

Explore the idea

Part 9 of 16

Learn

Living together

Interfaith work, shared community projects and faith-based charities are a significant part of British civic life. So are tensions: religiously motivated hate crime is recorded and prosecuted. Describing both is more accurate than describing either alone.

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Quick check

Part 10 of 16

Quick check

What does equality law protect?

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Quick check

Part 11 of 16

Quick check

Why are national figures alone misleading?

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Explore the idea

Part 12 of 16

Worked example

Worked example: writing an evidenced paragraph

Religious affiliation in England and Wales has changed sharply this century. Census data record a fall in Christian identification and a rise in 'no religion', while Muslim, Hindu and Sikh populations have grown, particularly in large cities. This suggests two trends at once — secularisation and diversification — so a single description like 'less religious' misses half of what the data shows.

13

Challenge round

Part 13 of 16

Game · Sort it

Which of these are true?

Drag each card into the right column. Tap a card first if dragging is fiddly.

True

Not true

14

Challenge round

Part 14 of 16

Game · Fill the gaps

Finish the sentences

Choose the word that belongs in each gap.

Census results since 2001 show a large fall in the proportion identifying as Christian, a rise in those recording no ____, and growth in several minority faith groups, concentrated in particular cities.

At the same time, equality law protects religion and ____, including non-belief, and schools must teach RE without promoting any single faith.

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Mastery quiz

Part 15 of 16

Marked quiz

End of lesson quiz: Belief in modern Britain

4 questions, marked with the reasoning shown. No timer.

  1. 1. Which two trends do census data show together?

  2. 2. What does 'established church' mean?

  3. 3. What does equality law protect?

  4. 4. Why are national figures alone misleading?

16

Lesson round-up

Part 16 of 16

Lesson round-up

Ready when you are

Quiz score

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Points this lesson

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Best run

0 in a row

Luna: 0 out of 4 on the practice checks. Only if you feel up to it — one more?

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Do the work

Your written work for this lesson

This is the part you'd do in your book at school. Pick the pieces below, write here or on paper, and photograph anything you draw or work out.

Source

Two teachings on forgiveness

In Christian teaching, Jesus is asked how many times a person should forgive. He answers not seven times but seventy-seven — meaning forgiveness should not be counted at all. The Lord's Prayer links the two directions together: forgive us as we forgive others.

In Islamic teaching, one of the names of God is al-Ghaffar, the Ever-Forgiving. Muslims are taught that God's mercy is greater than any wrong a person can do, and that those who pardon others are closer to God than those who take revenge.

Both traditions distinguish forgiving from forgetting. A person may forgive and still expect justice, and may seek safety from someone who has harmed them.

Original paraphrases written for Good Learning Co.

Reading questions

  1. What does each teaching say about how far forgiveness should go?
  2. Explain how a believer might use one of these teachings after being hurt by a friend.
  3. "Forgiving someone means letting them off." Give two views on this and say which is stronger, with reasons.

  • Reading and response

    Reading

    Read the lesson text again — especially any scripture, story or quotation — then write what it teaches and how a believer would use it.

    2 paragraphs (PEE)

  • Extended writing

    Writing

    Answer the lesson's big question as an exam answer would: a clear view, a reason, a teaching or example as evidence, and a different view weighed against yours.

    250–350 words

  • Belief in your own words

    Writing

    Explain what this belief means and give one example of how it changes what people do.

    8–10 sentences

  • Different views

    Writing

    Write two different views on this question and say which you find stronger, and why.

    2 paragraphs

  • Symbol or belief diagram

    Diagram

    Draw the symbol, place of worship or idea from this lesson with labels explaining what each part means, then photograph it.

    1 labelled drawing

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Part 1 of 16 · Watch & discover

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