"British Religion In Numbers".pdf

The BRIN Discussion Series on Religious Statistics features a discussion paper by Clive D. Field, titled "Religious Statistics in Great Britain: An Historical Introduction." The paper explores the collection of religious statistics in Great Britain, covering state-collected statistics from the 17th century to recent developments, as well as statistics collected by faith communities, including established churches, free churches, and non-Christian faiths. It also examines statistics collected by other agencies, such as social investigators, opinion pollsters, and academic researchers, and discusses future needs and prospects for religious statistics. The paper includes various appendices, providing a bibliography of the religious history of modern Britain, recent publications on the 1851 Religious Census, and contemporary regional studies of religion as social capital.