Christians are significantly less concerned about passing on religion to their children than parents from other faiths in the UK, a new study has found.
Research carried out by ComRes for a report by the think tank Theos shows that while 36 per cent of people who call themselves Christian were worried about whether their children would end up holding the same religious views as them, some 69 per cent of parents who belong to other faiths were concerned about passing on their faith.
The findings also show that one in four parents fear that teaching religion to their children will alienate the children at school.
The 'Passing on Faith' project was commissioned by ComRes and the academic Dr Olwyn Mark to explore the changing attitudes of parents towards teaching their children about faith, and the ways in which religion may be passed onto future generations.
Within the category of 'Christians', 57 per cent of self-defined Christians who believed in God said that they would like their children to hold the same beliefs (about God or a 'higher power') when they are older, and 69 per cent of those Christians who attended church once a month or more felt the same way.
The research also shows that while more than half of British parents are confident talking to their children about religion, less than half (40 per cent) had actually spoken to their children about faith, with many respondents citing that the subject "never came up in family discussions".
Asked whether it was important "to actively pass on beliefs about whether or not there is a God or Higher Power to [their] children", 30 per cent said it was important, while twice that number, 60 per cent, said that children should make up their own minds on this topic "independently of their parents".
Regular church attenders were most likely to want to pass their beliefs on (77 per cent), compared to 15 per cent of non-attenders.
Nick Spencer, head of research at Theos said: "The right of parents to nurture and develop the religious faith of their children has come under fire by New Atheists over recent years.
"That could be because – as Dr Mark's research shows – parents do have the greatest influence on their children's faith, not least through the integrity and authenticity of their own beliefs.
"That noted, just calling yourself Christian makes little difference here; the more serious parents take their own faith, the more concerned they are to want to pass it on."
Dr Olwyn Mark said: "Despite the perceived strength of other social and cultural forces, parents should have confidence that they can make all the difference to the way their children spiritually grow."
