This article is from the source 'bbc' and was first published or seen on . It will not be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/uk/7793106.stm
The article has changed 4 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Most 'do not believe in nativity' | Most 'do not believe in nativity' |
| (about 8 hours later) | |
| The majority of Britons do not believe the Biblical story of the birth of Jesus, a survey has suggested. | The majority of Britons do not believe the Biblical story of the birth of Jesus, a survey has suggested. |
| Of 1,000 people questioned, 70% doubted the account, according to the British Market Research Bureau. | |
| Almost a quarter of people who described themselves as Christians shared their scepticism. | Almost a quarter of people who described themselves as Christians shared their scepticism. |
| St Helen's Church in Bishopsgate, London, which commissioned the survey, has produced a film of "sound evidence" supporting the Bible's account. | St Helen's Church in Bishopsgate, London, which commissioned the survey, has produced a film of "sound evidence" supporting the Bible's account. |
| More than a fifth of Christians who answered said they did not believe Jesus was both God and Man - another central tenet of Christianity. | More than a fifth of Christians who answered said they did not believe Jesus was both God and Man - another central tenet of Christianity. |
| Young people were particularly sceptical. | Young people were particularly sceptical. |
| BBC religious affairs correspondent Robert Piggott said the findings suggested a fading influence for the Church's teaching in a secular age. | BBC religious affairs correspondent Robert Piggott said the findings suggested a fading influence for the Church's teaching in a secular age. |
| Nostalgia | Nostalgia |
| "They also reinforce evidence that believers are increasingly willing to pick and choose which elements of the Bible's story they accept," he added. | "They also reinforce evidence that believers are increasingly willing to pick and choose which elements of the Bible's story they accept," he added. |
| Simon Gathercole, a new testament scholar at Cambridge University, said people were sceptical because they were not aware the origins of Christianity were anchored in real history. | Simon Gathercole, a new testament scholar at Cambridge University, said people were sceptical because they were not aware the origins of Christianity were anchored in real history. |
| "Jesus was born while Augustus was emperor of Rome just before Herod died... we're talking about events that are anchored in real history not in ancient Greek myths." | "Jesus was born while Augustus was emperor of Rome just before Herod died... we're talking about events that are anchored in real history not in ancient Greek myths." |
| He also said some people think of Christmas as being religiously significant for purely nostalgic reasons. | He also said some people think of Christmas as being religiously significant for purely nostalgic reasons. |
| "There's something in us that misses that connection with God that we sometimes feel our historical forebears had," he said. | "There's something in us that misses that connection with God that we sometimes feel our historical forebears had," he said. |