“The Quiet Revival” , a report by The Bible Society, indicates a revival of Christianity in England and Wales, with congregations up in the last four years from 8 to 12 per cent, a growth largely fuelled by Gen Z – young people aged 18-24.
The conclusion is based on a survey of 13,000 people by YouGov, commissioned by The Bible Society. It found 16 per cent of Gen Z attended church once a month, compared to 4 per cent four years ago. The most dramatic increase in churchgoing, according to the research, is among young men, where attendance increased from 4 to 21 per cent. The report authors say community and a sense of belonging is the key explanation.
Ruth Peacock and Jessie Paktiazay, a producer and director at Three Arrows Media, hosted this discussion with report authors Dr Rhiannon McAleer, Director of Research and Impact at Bible Society and Dr Rob Barward-Symmons, Head of Research, Theos. The findings buck the trend of reported decline among the main denominations and our other panellists discuss the findings: Dr Tim Hutchings, University of Nottingham researcher and teacher, specialising in the field of religion, media and culture; Christopher Gasson, author and commmissioner of OnePoll which suggested Gen Z and Millennials are more likely to say they are “spiritual” than older people, and less likely to identify as atheists; and Dr Peter Brierley, statistician who has been collecting and analysing church statistics for 50 years.
To join future RMC briefings, join our mailing list here >>
‘The Quiet Revival’: huge increase in young people attending church
Bible Society report says church attendance has gone up from 8 to 12 per cent since 2018, largely due to more young people committing to the Christian faith
