 Dormand had been brought up a Christian, an allegiance which continued into adulthood, when he sat on the parochial church council.He described his adoption of atheism as the result of "some years of very considerable thought", and once freed from the fear of offending religious constituents, his atheism became more outspoken in the Lords; in July 2000 he called for the disestablishment of the Church of England.He helped form the All Party Humanist Group, and became Vice-President of the British Humanist Association.