Churches in England and Wales are experiencing what the British Bible Society calls The Quiet Revival.
That’s the title of its report on a survey of 13,000 people it commissioned.
It found that church attendance had surged by 56% on a similar survey it undertook in 2018.
Co-author and Bible Society Director of Research Dr Rhiannon McAleer declared: “These are striking findings that completely reverse the widely held assumption that the Church in England and Wales is in terminal decline.”
“While some traditional denominations continue to face challenges, we’ve seen significant, broad-based growth among most expressions of Church – particularly in Roman Catholicism and Pentecostalism.”
WHAT ARE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT FINDINGS?
“There are now over two million more people attending church than there were six years ago.”
That’s especially the case among younger demographics.
Gen-Z attendance quadrupled from 4% to 16%.
The Bible Society said the most significant finding was that more young men are joining churches than young women.
Previously, young men had been the social group least likely to engage with any church.
The survey also revealed increasing ethnic diversity in congregations.
The dramatic changes are reflected in the Bible Society graph below:
GREATER OPENNESS TO FAITH AND SPIRITUALITY
Premier Christian News (PCN) reports the survey identifies both a greater openness to faith and spirituality, and to churchgoing in general, even among non-churchgoers.
Younger people are particularly warm to spirituality with 40% of 18–24-year-olds saying they pray at least monthly and 51% saying they’ve undertaken a spiritual practice in the last six months – the highest of any age group.
Among non-churchgoing 18-24-year-olds, curiosity about Christianity is also higher than average.
Around 34% said they would attend church if invited by a friend or family member and a quarter (25%) said they would be interested in discovering more about the Bible.
Dr. Rob Barward- Symmons, Senior Research and Impact Manager at the Bible Society, explained possible reasons for young people turning to church to PCN.
“These trends that we’re seeing amongst young adults, of feeling lost, anxious, and isolated, for some, is leading them to these quite harmful, toxic spaces that we’ve heard a lot about.”
“But this research shows that young people are seeking that meaning and that healing.”
“They’re finding community in the church and that’s really drawing them there.”
CONGREGATIONS BECOMING MORE ETHNICALLY DIVERSE
The Quiet Revival found one in five churchgoers coming from an ethnic minority.
Close to half of young Black people aged 18–34 are attending church at least monthly.
Two-thirds of churchgoing Christians read the Bible at least weekly outside church.
The report found one explanation for the spike in churchgoing could be an increasingly ethnically diverse UK population, with Christianity a strongly held religion for many migrants.
Dr. McAleer told PCN: “The stereotype is that churchgoers are predominantly old, white and female.”
“Increasingly, that is no longer the case. We’re seeing increasing ethnic diversity, but also large numbers of younger people from all ethnicities.”
WHAT THE RESEARCHERS CONCLUDED
Across all age groups, the mental and social benefits of church attendance were recorded.
Over 60% of Christians who are part of a church said they felt a sense of belonging in their local community.
For non-churchgoers, this drops to 25%.
The researchers concluded the true decline is in ‘nominal Christianity’ – whereby people attach the label of ‘Christian’ to themselves as a social norm, but rarely participate in day-to-day mission.
“People who identify as Christians are much more likely now to be active in their faith,” said Dr. Barward-Symmons.
“That’s not just going to church, that’s praying, reading the Bible, and believing in an active, interventionist God who cares about their life.”
The Bible Society’s chief executive Paul Williams concluded: ‘The Quiet Revival is a highly significant report which should transform the perception of Christianity and churchgoing in England and Wales.”
“Far from being on a slippery slope to extinction, the Church is alive and growing and making a positive difference to individuals and society.”
