Text 7 Festivals of faith

The number of Christians who go to church regularly has been falling, but for many the Christian faith is still part of life. How has the arrival of Islam and Hinduism in Britain affected the celebration of Christian festivals in some schools?

S ection A

1. Complete the factfile with the figures given below.

300 80% 12% 1,000,000

2. Work with a partner

   1. Discuss your figures.

   2. Check your answers on page 90.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

   3. Do any of these facts surprise you?

Factfile

1. In 1990, 65% of the population of Britain described themselves as practicing Christians.

2. By 2010 Christians are predicted to number 55% of the population.

3. In 1990 only _____ of the population regularly attended a Christian church.

4. _____ of couples who get married in Britain go through a religious ceremony.

5. The Bible is still a best-seller in Britain. Over a million copies are sold every year.

6. There are two official churches in Britain: the Church of England and the Church of Scotland. The Roman Catholic church also has members in both countries.

7. In 1970 there were about 300, 000 Muslims in Britain: in1990 this had risen to _____.

8. There are more than _____ mosques in Britain. The largest of these is in Central London.

9. The Jewish community in Britain numbers around 350, 000.

10. There are also large Sikh and Hindu communities in Britain, each of which numbers around 300,000 members.

Section B

1. Work with a partner.

   1. What are the main religious festivals in your country?

   2. How are they celebrated?

2. Look at the two newspaper headlines.

Ester Becomes Chocolate Sunday Faith Moves a Mountain

1. Do you think the two writers will put forward the same views?

2. In what ways do you expect them to differ?

3. Read the first part of the two articles about Easter.

Whatever happened to Easter? Like so many modern rituals, it seems hollowed out inside, a shadow of its former self. It used to be the great festival of death and rebirth in the European year. Now, to many, it seems to be little more chocolate than you should.

He expected 20 people. ‘It’s Easter Day’, the vicar said. ‘There will be a few more than usual.’ He sat watching the wind and the hail whip the Pembrokeshire mountains, working out what to tell them. The Rev Anthony Bailey was in some hurry. There were four churches to look after and miles of mountain roads between them. ‘I’ll only get around to three of them,’ he said, and even then the schedule was tight.

1. Which article goes with which headline?

2. Were the predictions you made in activity 2 correct?

4. Read the rest of the article, Faith Moves a Mountain. Find out how many people attended the Easter service.

He could go to St Colman’s in Llangolman, St Mary’s in Maenclochog, and charge down to St Brynach’s in Henry’s Moat. He got all that in between 9 am and noon.

4. The writer of the article mentions a number of contrasts. Complete these sentences.

   1. Only 20 people were expected at the Easter service, but __________.

   2. In cathedrals people wore expensive clothes, but in St Mary’s __________.

   3. The roof of the church was rotting, but St Mary’s __________.

   4. In other places, archbishops spoke to the whole country, but in St Mary’s __________.

4. R ead the final paragraph again. What question did the writer ask? What was the vicar’s reply? What reasons did the people give for attending church on Easter Sunday?