BBC Newsline

The reality is different. The pews in some of Belfast's oldest places of worship are emptying, backing up the statistics which show that fewer people than ever before now regularly attend services.

So does a secular Sunday mean that Northern Ireland has given up on belief altogether or is there something the church can do to appeal to the masses in the Twenty First Century?

This week BBC Newsline will be exploring some of these issues in our Keeping The Faith series. Throughout the week the series will look at the statistics that show the massive rate of decline, and what it could mean for the health of the church in the decades to come.

We will also look at why some traditional churches are having to shut their doors for the last time while others are finding radical ways to attract new members.

The Keeping The Faith series will also reveal the results of the most recent e-panel survey, which is an online survey completed by a group of BBC Newsline viewers. Some of these results include:

• 73% believe in a god/deity/higher power
• 64% believe there is a link between declining church attendance and declining morals in today’s society
• 81% believe that society is moving away from religion
• 71% feel that churches could offer more for young people
• About half (51%) say religions are out of touch with society and need to change with the times
• 21% agree that shops shouldn’t be open on a Sunday
• 61% say sport should be played on a Sunday
• 50% would like churches to develop more online resources