From an American perspective, I always viewed the way that English people saw the Bible and Christianity as being the status quo, like it was the base-level understanding for all people of the upper class. I see it as being, especially in historical contexts, part of their lives and the way that they show each other that they are a part of the culture. Weddings, funerals, and wealthy families having parishes that they would help out financially and attend were things that were imbued in English culture. Their way of originally interpreting Christianity also benefited wealthy people, as it upkept the idea of a patriarchal society, and one where wealthy lords could be masters to the people living and tending to their land. In their context, it made their way of life make sense, whether or not you believed in the spiritual aspects of the religion. 

The inclusion of people like authors, poets, and scientists, many of which are not even Christian were associated with the church for what seems to be nearly purely cultural reasons rather than religious. Even to those who did not believe in God or the Bible, the power that the Church of England has over society is undeniable. And for those who disagreed with the church, I think both they and their families would agree that being recognized and honored by the Church of England in Westminster Abbey is akin to being honored by the country of England. 

The connection of this cultural religious ideal differs greatly from America, where someone of a different faith would very rarely, if ever, be honored in a different religious context to what they believed in. 

It’s interesting when these people not only include people that didn’t identify themselves as Christians, but rather actively went against the qualities of a Christian figure. I think that that is where I would start to question some of these people being honored by such a large institution, especially one that has a moral duty such as the Church of England.