Nine out of 10 evangelical Christians in the UK will either volunteer or give money to charity this Christmas, according to new research released by the national Evangelical Alliance.
The survey of more than 800 Christians also shows that less than one per cent intended reducing their giving while almost a third wanted to increase their generosity. As many as 39 per cent said they would provide food parcels for people in the community or meals for the homeless or vulnerable people this Christmas.
In terms of how they saw community attitudes towards Christmas, 84 per cent of evangelical Christians said the celebration had become too much about money or consumerism but some two-thirds believed Christmas in the UK was still characterised by celebrating Jesus’ birth – a figure which contrasted with the findings of another poll – commissioned by the British Humanist Association – which showed that only 22 per cent thought celebrating Jesus’ birth made Christmas an important time of year.
When asked which aspects of Christmas were most enjoyable, celebrating Jesus’ birth was – perhaps, unsurprisingly – at the top of the list among evangelicals with some 93 per cent of those polled indicating its importance to them by ranking it four or five out of five, followed by spending time with friends and family (84 per cent), giving gifts (76 per cent), receiving gifts (35 per cent) and, in last place, eating indulgently (19 per cent).
And while some 71 per cent of those surveyed said they wouldn’t spend more than they could afford, incur debt, or cut back at Christmas, some 13 per cent said they did feel pressured into spending more than they would like to at Christmas time.
Steve Clifford, general director of the Evangelical Alliance, said the survey showed that for evangelicals, “Jesus really is at the heart of Christmas, and at the heart of our celebrations”. He added that while it also revealed many evangelical Christians were concerned about the focus on money at Christmas, “their actions are focused on generosity of their time and finances”.
“More than two thirds of those who took our survey don’t anticipate financial challenges this Christmas, and while the giving we see is remarkable, it is also needed. The ease with which many can enjoy Christmas is certainly not universally shared with many requiring food parcels, or struggling with unsustainable debt.”
He described the survey findings as “a nudge for Christians to continue to show charity”, but said they were also a “stark reminder that our congregations might not reflect the realities of the communities we are in or seeking to reach”.
The survey of some 811 evangelical Christians was conducted between 28th November and 5th December.
