Can we still claim to be a Christian country?
A survey to determine the knowledge of the Christian faith has produced some startling results. Millward Brown undertook the survey on behalf of The Iona Institute and the Evangelical Alliance of Ireland and the Evangelical Alliance (Northern Ireland).
When the results were published it was revealed that religious knowledge is greater among people in the Republic of Ireland than in those from Northern Ireland. In a poll conducted using 1,000 people it was found that only 31% could recite the First Commandment.
Stephen Cave, Evangelical Alliance Northern Ireland, said that the results threw into doubt the claim that we are a Christian country.
The poll revealed the only:
42% of NI respondents knew there are four Gospels
54% of respondents could name the Holy Trinity
60% could name the first book of the bible
31% could recite the First Commandment
31% were able to identify Martin Luther as the founder of the Reformation
21% of NI respondents, between the ages of 16-24, knew there are four Gospel (compared to 54% of people in the 65 and over age group).
Millward Brown conducted the face to face interviews with 1,018 people during October 2007. The findings of the poll can be downloaded from http://www.ionainstitute.ie/