Archive · 28 Jan 2026
UK Christian Revival Claims Spark Debate
Some people think more young adults in the UK are going to church, but others say that's not true.
A report called The Quiet Revival said church attendance went up, especially among young people.
But other experts say the surveys might not be accurate because they used people who volunteered to take part, which can be unreliable.
The Church of England says attendance is still lower than before the pandemic.
Big surveys with random people show that fewer young adults identify as Christian now than a few years ago.
So, while some think there's a revival, others say the numbers don't support that.
The Quiet Revival report claimed a 50% rise in church attendance over six years, with significant growth among young adults.
Critics argue opt-in surveys used in the report may be unreliable due to potential bias and bogus respondents.
Church of England data shows attendance has not fully recovered from the pandemic slump, with a 19% drop between 2019 and 2023.
Pew Research Center and other surveys found no evidence of increased Christian identity or church attendance among young adults.
The debate highlights discrepancies in survey methodologies and the reliability of opt-in versus random sampling.
- Who
- Church of England, Bible Society, Pew Research Center, young adults
- What
- Debate over claims of a Christian revival in the UK
- When
- 2025
- Where
- United Kingdom
- Why
- Discrepancies in survey methodologies and results
- Report Claiming Revival
- The Quiet Revival (Bible Society, 2025)
- Survey Methodology
- YouGov polls (2018, 2024)
- Attendance Increase
- 12% in 2024 (up from 8% in 2018)
- Young Adult Increase
- 16% in 2024 (up from 4% in 2018)
- Church of England Data
- 4.5% weekly attendance increase (2022/23)
- Pandemic Impact
- 19% fall in attendance (2019-2023)
- PRC Findings
- No increase in Christian identity among young adults
- British Social Attitudes Survey
- 6% churchgoers (18-34) in 2024, down from 8% in 2018