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London has centres of worship for many faiths. In the2021 Census, the largest religions wereChristianity (40.66%), followed byno religion (including atheists) (27.05%),Islam (14.99%), no response (7%),Hinduism (5.15%),Judaism (1.65%),Sikhism (1.64%),Buddhism (1.0%), and others (0.9%).[1] Compared to the previous census, the most noticeable changes are that Christianity decreased, and Atheism increased.
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In a 2000 report, the biggest Christian denomination in London was Catholicism (35% of the Christian population), followed by Anglicanism (33%), Pentecostals (7%) and Orthodox (6%).[3]
TheArchbishop of Canterbury's of theChurch of England main residence is atLambeth Palace. Most parts of London north of the Thames and west of the River Lee are within thediocese of London under theBishop of London atSt Paul's Cathedral in the City. Parishes east of the River Lee are within theDiocese of Chelmsford. Most parts south of the river are administered fromSouthwark Cathedral as thediocese of Southwark. Important national and royal ceremonies are divided betweenSt Paul's andWestminster Abbey.
The pre-eminent Catholic cathedral inEngland andWales isWestminster Cathedral, from which theArchbishop of Westminster leads theEnglish andWelsh Catholic churches. Other Christian denominations have headquarters in London, including theUnited Reformed Church, theSalvation Army, and theQuakers, and immigrant communities have established their own denominations or dioceses (e.g. theEastern Orthodox Church). Many evangelical denominations also have church buildings in London.
The largestnonconformist church is theMetropolitan Tabernacle.
Islam isLondon's second-largest religion. Muslims make up 15% of London's population. There were 1,318,755Muslims reported in the2021 census in theGreater London area.[1]
In 1895, London's first mosque was established by Mohamad Dollie, in modern-day Camden.[4] TheEast London Mosque is the largest Muslim centre in Central Europe.London Central Mosque is a locally well-known landmark on the edge ofRegent's Park, and there are many other mosques in London.
Over half of theUK's Hindu population lives in London, where they make up 5% of the population. British Hindus primarily live in Western London; however, every borough has a significant Hindu population. As per the 2011 census, the London borough ofHarrow has the largest concentration of Hindus, at 25%.
TheHindu temple at Neasden was the largest temple ofHinduism inEurope[5] until the opening of the Shri Venkateswara (Balaji) Temple inTividale in 2006.[6] Other temples are in nearbyWembley,Harrow andWillesden, andWimbledon andNewham in South and East London.
Hare Krishna are sometimes seen on the streets of London, particularly near theRadha Krishna Temple inSoho.
Over two-thirds ofBritish Jews live in London, which ranks thirteenth in the world as a Jewish population centre.[7] There are significant Jewish communities in parts of north London such asStamford Hill andGolders Green.[8] There are currently twoeruvin in London; one that coversHendon,Golders Green, andHampstead Garden Suburb,[9][10] and another inEdgware.[11] There are two more planned eruvin: one inStanmore,[12] and one coveringElstree/Borehamwood.[13]
The first written record of Jewish settlement in London dates from 1070, although Jews may have lived there since Roman times.The Bevis Marks Synagogue, built in 1701 in theCity of London, is theoldest synagogue in the United Kingdom still in use. In 1899, a map was published showing, by colour, the proportion of the Jewish population to other residents of East London, street by street. It illustrates clearly the predominantly Jewish population at the time in the areas of Whitechapel, Spitalfields, and Mile End in particular.[14]
London has a sizableSikh population, most of whom live in London's West, in areas such asSouthall,Hounslow, andHayes. In southeast London, there are some Sikhs inBexleyheath,Erith,Sidcup,Plumstead, andWoolwich. In northeast London, there are some in North Newham andIlford. In northwest London, some live in northwest Brent and some parts ofHarrow. The largest Sikh temple in London (and outside India) isGurdwara Sri Guru Singh Sabha in Southall.[15]
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Roughly one in four Londoners have no religion, and much of London's civic life and civil society is secular in the sense that it has no religious character.
To the extent that non-religious movements have actively organised in the UK, many organise nationally from London. The non-religioushumanist movement in the UK largely began in London in the 19th century with the foundation of various "ethical churches" and "ethical societies". Over time, these groups came to form the basis of non-religious charities in the UK:Conway Hall, based in the former South Place Ethical Society in Holborn, andHumanists UK, which was formed by the merger of the UK's remaining ethical societies. Of Humanists UK's London chapters, the largest is the Central London Humanist Group, which frequently meets at Conway Hall.
The 19th-century non-religious congregational model of the ethical churches still persists to some extent. The non-religiousSunday Assembly movement began in London in 2013.Unitarian groups in Islington and Hackney also now organise under the umbrella of the "New Unity" church, which describes itself as "a non-religious church".
