Page "History of Scotland" Paragraph 155

In the 20th century existing Christian denominations were joined by other organisations, including the Brethren and Pentecostal churches.

Although some denominations thrived, after World War II there was a steady overall decline in church attendance and resulting church closures for most denominations.

Talks began in the 1950s aiming at a grand merger of the main Presbyterian, Episcopal and Methodist bodies in Scotland.

The talks were ended in 2003, when the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland rejected the proposals.

The religious situation was also been altered by immigration, resulting in the growth of non-Christian religions.

In the 2001 census 42. 4 per cent of the population identified with the Church of Scotland, 15. 9 per cent with Catholicism and 6. 8 with other forms of Christianity, making up roughly 65 per cent of the population ( compared with 72 per cent for the UK as a whole ).

Of other religions Islam was at 0. 8 per cent, Buddhism, Sikhism, Judaism and Hinduism were all at around 0. 1 per cent.

Other religions together accounted for 0. 6 per cent of respondents and 5. 5 per cent did not state a religion.

There were 27. 5 per cent who stated that they had no religion ( which compares with 15. 5 per cent in the UK overall ).

Other more recent studies suggest that those not identifying with a denomination, or who see themselves as non-religious, may be much higher at between 42 and 56 per cent, depending on the form of question asked.