Scots Put Their Faith In Prayer

Published: November 12, 2007 | 6826th good news item since 2003

ONE in three Scots still believes in the power of prayer despite a big decline in church attendance, according to a survey.

More than 1.4million adults in Scotland – 32 per cent – pray. But that figure is below the UK average of 42 per cent.

The survey, by Christian relief agency Tearfund, found just under half of those who pray do so at least once a day.

Family and friends are the most popular topic, accounting for 68 per cent of prayers.

Of the 20million adults who pray in the UK, nine million pray every day.

One in three says praying makes them feel better and happier, while one in five believes their prayers will be answered.

Peter Chirnside, head of Tearfund in Scotland, said: “These figures are very encouraging and suggest that people know there is something bigger there that can affect the world.”

However, the popularity of prayer appears to be at odds with church attendance in Scotland, which has dropped to just 11 per cent of the population.

If the current rate of decline continues, only 8.7 per cent will attend church on Sundays by 2010 and 6.8 per cent by 2020.

But experts believe the gap between the numbers of churchgoers and those who pray reflects a greater sense of spirituality outside official faiths.

Psychologist Dr Stephen Kelly, of Strathclyde University, said: “A lot of people don’t agree with those institutions but still believe there is a spirituality out there.”

Published in Prayer
See also: www.dailyrecord.co.uk