by Tom Lennie, TCW
SOME weeks ago, I published a lengthy article in Prophecy Today examining reports that a ‘quiet revival’ of Christianity was underway across the British Isles.
The reports largely emanated from a striking new survey commissioned by the Bible Society, which showed, among other things, that church attendance in England and Wales increased by a massive 56 per cent between 2018 and 2024, and that it had quadrupled among Gen Z (ages 18-24). The report found growth especially within Roman Catholicism and Pentecostalism.
It gave evidence of increased attendance at mass Christian youth gatherings across the UK; unprecedented spiritual openness among students; and showed how even traditional churches, widely regarded as being in terminal decline, like the Catholic Church, have seen a degree of growth.
I noted some concerns over some of the statistics quoted, but rejoiced at the evidence of something of a quiet spiritual movement, at least among Gen Z, across the United Kingdom.
Others also expressing doubts over the claims led the Bible Society to double down on their reliability, stating that the YouGov poll used very large, nationally representative samples and consistent methodology, and that it offered a high confidence level and low margin of error.
Since then, a string of further ‘revival-leaning’ reports has appeared in the Christian media, albeit with many of the stories stemming from a single source.