Parents shy of speaking to their children about faith

One in four parents in Britain hesitate to teach their children about religion, fearing that it will make them unpopular at school, new research conducted by the think tank, Theos, has shown, writes Rose Gamble.

The report, produced in partnership with Canterbury Christ Church University and ComRes,  found that less than one third of British parents would be concerned if their children did not share their religious beliefs. Twice that number said children should make up their own minds on the topic. The figures were similar for Christian parents, with just 36 per cent wanting to pass on their beliefs. In contrast, 85 per cent of Muslims wanted to pass on their faith to their children.

The research also found that while more than half of British parents are confident talking to their children about religion, less than half (40 per cent) had done so, with many respondents citing that the subject “never came up in family discussions”.

More than a third of parents said they thought social media would have more influence on their children’s beliefs than their own input. The report, “Passing on the Faith”, explores the changing attitudes of parents towards teaching their children about faith, and the ways religion may be passed on to future generations.

Its findings are based on 1,013 online interviews with parents of children aged 18 and under, conducted by ComRes between 24 and 29 August 2016.