In 2018, just four percent of 18 to 24 year-olds in the United Kingdom attended church at least once a month, according to Talking Jesus, a survey of 4,000 adults. By 2022, that figure had quadrupled. Among young men, once assumed to be the most religiously disengaged, attendance has soared from 4 to 21 percent; among young women, from 3 to 12 percent. Churches are also becoming more ethnically diverse, with nearly one in five attendees identifying as part of an ethnic minority.
Unlike the great revivals of the past, such as the Welsh Revival of 1904 or Billy Graham’s 1954 London crusade, this shift is quieter, more personal, and harder to define. While some have speculated that it may signal a new Great Awakening, its subtle and grassroots character has led researchers to call it “the Quiet Revival.” Whereas past movements were often driven by institutions or charismatic leaders, this revival is unfolding through ordinary people engaging in ordinary religious practices. Examples include friends inviting friends to the Christian course Alpha, young adults experimenting with daily prayer through daily devotional apps like Lectio 365 and Hallow, and engaging with social media apologetics and evangelistic podcasts.
“Church seems to offer not just answers, but anchors.”
What explains this surprising resurgence in faith? Dr. Rob Barward-Symmons, one of the study’s co-authors, suggests one reason may be that young people are searching for meaning amid widespread mental health struggles and loneliness. The study finds that churchgoers report higher levels of hope for the future and the lowest rates of frequent anxiety and depression. Other studies echo these findings, showing that regular religious practices, such as communal worship, prayer, and acts of charity, aren’t just beneficial for individuals, but also strengthen marriages and families. In a world that often leaves young people digitally connected but emotionally adrift, church seems to offer not just answers, but anchors.