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More than 35% of young Britons don't know where Christ was born

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A survey carried out by a British theological think-tank has revealed a significant lack of knowledge about basic Biblical stories among Britons.
LONDON, December 8 (RIA Novosti) - A survey carried out by a British theological think-tank has revealed a significant lack of knowledge about basic Biblical stories among Britons.

In the survey, carried out by Theos, 27 per cent of Britons over 18 could not name Bethlehem as the birthplace of Jesus Christ, while the figure rose to 36 per cent of people aged between 18 and 24.

Some 10% of those questioned said that Christ was born in Nazareth.

Further questions saw 27 per cent of respondents unaware that an angel informed Mary that she would give birth to a son, with some people saying she had been told by shepherds.

Only 12 per cent of adults gave the correct answers to the four questions asked by the think-tank, all of which concerned the Christmas story.

Paul Woolley, the director of Theos, said that, "The fact that younger people are the least knowledgeable about the Christmas story may reflect a decline in the telling of Bible stories in schools and the popularity of Nativity plays."

"No one seriously thinks that being a Christian or a member of the established Church is the same thing as being British today. But, at the same time, if we are serious about social cohesion we can't afford to ignore the stories that have bound us together as a culture for a thousand years," he said.

Among those people answering all questions correctly, 35% described themselves as Christian churchgoers, while a mere five percent of atheists received top marks.

The questions

1. According to the story in the Christian Bible, where was Jesus born?

Answer - Bethlehem.

2. Who told Mary that she would give birth to a son?

Answer - An angel.

3. Who was Jesus' cousin?

Answer - John the Baptist.

4. Where did Joseph, Mary and Jesus go to escape from King Herod when Jesus was a young child?

Answer - Egypt.

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