When Bryan Wilson first began to write about the 'secularization' of Britain, it was possible to be sceptical about his assertion that religion was declining in social significance. In 1851, between 40 and 60 per cent of the population of Great Britain attended church. It is worth stressing that the demise of Christianity in Britain owes very little to active opposition. Religion no longer plays any major part in British identity; that died with the Empire. One way in which the British churches dominated the culture and society was through education. Until the middle of the 19th century most formal schooling was provided by the churches. While the proportion of people coming to church to be married, baptized and buried remains higher than the number of members or regular attenders, the trends are moving in the same direction.