蜜芽传媒

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What does it mean to be religious?
I could ask a Muslim and a Jewish friend the same question and they would come up with a different answer.

It was interesting to see how when 53% of the British population in a Win Gallup International Poll published yesterday, say that they wouldn't describe themselves necessarily as religious, some of the headlines concluded that this is simply further proof of the diminution of faith in British national life.

And yet wasn't Oscar Wilde right to suggest that "scepticism is the beginning of faith?" and that it's quite normal to ask questions about what it means to believe?

For me, having researched these kinds of statistics for many years now, what is equally interesting about the same poll, is that only 13% of those questioned described themselves as confirmed atheists. Which means that the vast majority of people representing a wide range of faith traditions and unaffiliated believers have not ruled out the notion of God altogether.

I see this as a priest all the time. Sometimes people are embarrassed about it. Others admit to being confused.

Come with me on any bereavement visit. "He didn't go to church BUT this was his favourite hymn" What is that all about? There is obviously still some kind of a connection that means something. The honesty makes me smile, I'm sometimes confused myself, but never despairing. There are deep pockets of faith in many people who, at the same time, seem less confident about religious expression.

A whole range of human circumstances from suffering to healing, loss and redemption to a real sense of searching and asking big questions about who we are and where we are going - reflect, rather, a search for faith than an absence of religion.

In the same poll, of course, it is suggested that that where religion and culture remain intertwined and inseparable in public life - nations are going to score much higher on the question of religiosity.

This poll underlines that as far as pluralist Britain is concerned: faith continues to play an important role in many homes, communities and institutions.

Not being happy with the description "religious" should not preclude those who are asking questions about life and faith in what is an ever more complex world order.

Faith can deal with doubt, - of which St Thomas is the patron saint of course, - and it has always done so. Believing happens in a variety of ways that cannot easily be captured by a simple question.

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