"It is a place we can bring our children, and our schools to, to see something of the celebration of faith and the historyand importance of Christianity for our nation, " he said.
He wrote his degree thesis on the history of Christianityand is best known as the minister who, in the most recent centre-left government, sponsored a programme of economic liberalisation.
Mr Copson also said that the poll showed that people in Britain primarily viewed Christianity as a matter of historyand cultural heritage rather than as a matter of religion.