Is there a purpose to the largest thing of all - The Universe? And does the weird world of the smallest things - Quantum Physics - tell us anything about it?
Atheist theologian Emily Qureshi-Hurst believes the evidence points to a purely physical reality. However, astrophysicist Paul Davies says there's a deeper meaning to the 'directionality' of our cosmos. In this mind-expanding conversation, they join me to explain the science they agree on... and work out where they differ.
Watch now, or listen on your favourite podcast platform!
Elizabeth Oldfield, host of the Sacred Podcast, and James Marriott, literary critic and Times columnist, join me on Uncommon Ground to discuss whether we can find meaning in life without God.
Elizabeth tells of her own search for meaning in Christian faith, while James explains why, as an atheist nihilist, he still loves art and literature. They discuss the search for purpose, and signs of a new interest in faith among young people.
This episode will release to the public on 20 April, but regular Silver and Gold level supporters can watch it RIGHT NOW!
“I have been listening to Justin for years. His podcasts feed my soul, and I enjoy the moderated and respectful dialogues that ensue in an age of polarization. Justin has a knack for fostering challenging, reasonable, informative material with an invitational kindness. The newly inaugurated "Uncommon Ground" is a delight, and I highly recommend it. Atheists, Agnostics, and Theists alike will have opportunity to hear alternative points of view expounded by experts in their respective fields.”
Park Smith
Following the withdrawal of The Quiet Revival report by Bible Society, I reflect on lessons that need to be learned. But one flawed report does not mean the ‘rebirth' is a myth - there are many other data points showing a new attitude towards faith is on the rise.
I released my reflections as a video response (and put out the audio on The Surprising Rebirth podcast too) but you can also read my response in article format, complete with citations.
Renowned philosopher and psychiatrist Iain McGilchrist opens up about his recent embrace of Christian faith, during his conversation with influential neuroscientist Anil Seth on minds, consciousness and God.
This is a clip from the full conversation, which you can watch on YouTube or listen to on your favourite podcast platform!
Glen Scrivener (author of 'The Air We Breathe') argues that Christianity paved the way, uniquely, for the abolitionist movement, whereas Alex O'Connor (host of the Within Reason podcast) takes the view that the Bible actively endorses slavery, and that Christians contributed just as forcefully to anti-abolitionism. They clash in this fascinating exchange from the second episode of my new show, Uncommon Ground!
This is a clip from the full conversation, which you can watch on YouTube or listen to on your favourite podcast platform!
Become a regular Patreon Supporter.
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Like many others, I greeted the news of a ‘Quiet Revival’ with enthusiasm when Bible Society published its data in April last year. The report, based on YouGov polling data between 2018 to 2024, contained remarkable statistics about rising church attendance in the UK, especially among 18-24 year olds.
After years of depressing statistics about the decline of churchgoing and religiosity, this felt like a long-awaited good news story for the church. The results of the report were shared far and wide in both Christian circles and mainstream media.
As the creator of a book and podcast series titled ‘The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God’ the data was especially pertinent to my thesis that we are seeing a renewal of interest in faith in the secular West. It was referenced frequently in our second season of the podcast and our ‘Responding To the Rebirth’ conference.
However, that data was soon being robustly challenged by both secular campaigners and some religious journalists too. They were concerned that the opt-in nature of the poll could produce unreliable data. They pointed out that the statistics did not reflect actual attendance numbers reported by church denominations. Likewise, the release of the 2025 British Social Attitudes survey directly contradicted the data - showing a continued decline in church attendance across all age profiles.
The picture was evidently complicated. In my public speaking I chose to caveat any references to the Quiet Revival, with an acknowledgement that the figures were being contested. I also interviewed the most prominent critic of the report, sociologist David Voas, for an edition of my podcast that interrogated the data. You can hear that on Season 2 of The Surprising Rebirth of Belief In God podcast, Episode 30 - Is the Rebirth Real? Debating The Data, Probing the Politics.
Despite the mounting criticism, Bible Society continued to stand by its report. YouGov was a reputable polling company, used and trusted by hundreds of organisations, including secular organisations like Humanists UK. Bible Society had sought and been given repeated reassurances of the quality of the data.
Then came last week’s bombshell.
Bible Society announced they were withdrawing the Quiet Revival report, having recently discovered that YouGov “failed to activate key quality control technologies that protect the sample from a wide range of errors and this undermines the reliability of the results.” It appears that the survey had been contaminated by bogus respondents.
Arguably, the organisation wiping the most egg from their face in all of this is YouGov who ran the survey. CEO Stephan Shakespeare has apologised personally, stating they take full responsibility for the flawed data and outputs and saying, “We would like to stress that Bible Society has at all times accurately and responsibly reported the data we supplied to them.”
Nevertheless, this moment is an important wake up call. A reminder that we should all be very wary of putting our faith in any survey or poll, especially when they align with our deepest desires. Confirmation bias - our propensity to ‘count the wins’ and ‘ignore the misses’ runs deep in human nature. As a Christian I’ve been guilty of it, as are people on the other side of the aisle.
In fairness, since the error emerged, Bible Society have owned up quickly to what went wrong, and will no doubt think carefully about how they publicise any future research. For the moment, a dose of humility and introspection is in order, and perhaps an opportunity to build some bridges with critics whose concerns turned out to be fully justified.
However, the danger with a U-turn of this magnitude is that it can also lead to errors in the opposite direction. Humanists UK, freshly vindicated by the reversal, state on their website: “We need to be absolutely clear: there is no revival of Christianity in Britain.”
That statement is true. However, it doesn’t do justice to the actual picture of what’s happening both here and in Europe. Perhaps ‘Revival’ isn’t the word we should ever have used for what’s happening… but the word ‘rebirth’ still feels appropriate.
The same day that the Bible Society’s report was retracted, Le Figaro, one of France’s leading newspapers, published a full page article on the continuing growth of demand for adult baptism. For the past two years the famously secular country has seen the largest number of adult converts to Catholicism in living memory. This year’s Easter vigil is expected to set a fresh record as over 20,000 people enter the church.
But France is not an outlier. Spain is reporting a similar trend. Something unexpected is also happening in Scandinavian countries. Sweden has seen a notable rise in confirmations offsetting church decline, while Norway, Finland and Denmark are all reporting an uptick of interest, especially among young men.
Likewise, many Orthodox parishes around Europe are dealing with a boom in young catechumens, while a survey by Fusion, a UK Christian campus ministry, found that over 75% of non-Christian students would accept an invitation to church if asked.
In the UK, the Catholic diocese of Westminster is about to see its largest intake of new converts for 15 years and other parts of the country are recording similarly spikes of people being prepared for baptism or confirmation. The Baptist church in the UK is reporting significantly higher numbers of baptisms and youth attendance, while registration on Alpha courses, an introduction to the Christian faith run by many churches across the UK, has also risen sharply in the past few years.
Commercial metrics tell the same story. Christian music streaming on Spotify has surged in recent years and, against an otherwise stagnant book market, UK Bible sales are at an historic high, rising from £2.69million to over £6.3million between 2019-2025.
Now let me be clear. None of these figures or trends amount to a ‘revival’. But they are reliable data points and they indicate that something is happening.
How that plays out in future church attendance statistics remains to be seen. At this point, my best guess is that any new converts are not yet fully offsetting the number of older religious people who are dying or have fallen away for church going. That means the church may still be shrinking, but that the decline itself may be slowing.
This is underscored by figures from the Church of England. The Covid lockdowns of 2020-21 decimated churchgoing. Since then, there have been 3 years of overall growth, but attendance hasn’t yet reached pre-Covid figures.
However, this is about more than just numerical figures.
A ‘vibe shift’ is a difficult thing to quantify, but there’s been an undoubted change in the way people are talking about faith in public in the past few years. It’s perhaps best captured by the list of influential converts that have been popping up in recent years.
To mention just a handful: In 2024 the historian Niall Ferguson was baptised and confirmed, along with his wife Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a former New Atheist activist. Historian and podcast host Tom Holland is now a regular churchgoer, and his best-selling book ‘Dominion’ has been reminding a secular culture about its Christian roots. Journalist and female rights activist Louise Perry now describes herself as a Christian. Sociologist Charles Murray recently announced his conversion. Joe Rogan says he’s going to church. Even Prince William, after years of speculation about whether the future head of the Church England actually believes, has confirmed a ‘quiet faith’.
It won’t escape notice that many of the afore-mentioned personalities lean conservative (or at least anti-woke) in their outlook. There’s no doubt that some of the new interest in traditional faith is a backlash to the overreach of progressive ideologies in our culture. Likewise, it’s no secret that the religious vibe shift is overlapping with a wider political vibe shift. The result is sometimes dubbed Christian Nationalism.
At the softer end it manifests in voices such as Danny Kruger, whose Parliamentary speech on the dangers of losing the Christian culture of the UK went viral last summer. At the sharp end it results in Christian slogans and symbols bedecking flags at anti-immigration rallies. Tommy Robinson is also one of the new converts to Christianity.
However, whenever Christianity gets into bed with politics (of the left or right) it’s a breeding ground for disaster. In my opinion, being co-opted by cynical political actors would be a far greater catastrophe for the church than a flawed report based on faulty data.
Nevertheless, we shouldn’t be surprised when tumultuous times create a messy picture. Religious renewals of the past have always been bred of cultural disruptions and mixed motives. Whether or not we approve of St-George-cross-flag-waving-crowds (who are arguably responding to a lot of other people waving other flags in recent years), the common thread is that people are searching for identity.
The default secular humanism on offer in our culture has manifestly failed to deliver on its promises. We are being atomised by technologies that are programmed to polarise us. AI is proving to be a dangerous substitute for real human relationships, while the endless variety of identities and ideologies promoted by social media has created a generation of disillusioned, distracted and depressed young people. And it’s leading many of them to look for a better story.
That’s why, as I’ve met with vicars, church ministers and youth leaders over the past three years, I’ve kept hearing the same thing: “We are encountering an unprecedented spiritual hunger among the the new seekers turning up at our doors”. In the process I’ve also met an unusual number of once-committed atheists who have come to faith in unusual circumstances.
Let me be clear - these stories are all anecdotal, they don’t come attached to any dataset. And if a Christian revival ever truly gets underway, we won’t need a spreadsheet to tell us - it’ll be obvious. So lets be careful with the word ‘revival’, regardless of whether we attach it to a qualifier such as ‘quiet’. Humble pie needs to be consumed and lessons need to be learned. But its not the end of the story.
The withdrawal of the Quiet Revival report this past week has felt like bad news for many - but remember, so did Good Friday, until the morning of Easter Sunday came along. With that in mind, let’s not make the mistake of thinking that nothing whatsoever is happening.
If you turn up at your local church this Easter (or any Sunday this coming year) you might just be surprised at the number of ‘rebirth’ stories you encounter among those who have chosen to take a second look at Christianity.
Thanks for reading… and Happy Easter!
Justin Brierley
Watch my video essay responding to the Quiet Revival withdrawal. Look out for more coverage of this issue when The Surprising Rebirth Of Belief In God podcast returns for a 3rd season later this year.
This week I took part in a panel discussion on the withdrawal of the Quiet Revival research, featuring Paul Williams of Bible Society and critics of the research including David Voas and Tim Wyatt.
“I have been listening to Justin for years. His podcasts feed my soul, and I enjoy the moderated and respectful dialogues that ensue in an age of polarization. Justin has a knack for fostering challenging, reasonable, informative material with an invitational kindness. The newly inaugurated "Uncommon Ground" is a delight, and I highly recommend it. Atheists, Agnostics, and Theists alike will have opportunity to hear alternative points of view expounded by experts in their respective fields.”
Park Smith
Become a regular Patreon Supporter.
Silver supporters get early access to new episodes and bonus content. Gold supporters also receive signed copies of my books and monthly catch ups with me.
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Renowned philosopher Iain McGilchrist and eminent neuroscientist Anil Seth sit down with me to discuss whether consciousness is a product of brain chemistry or points to God.
They discuss left and right brain hemispheres, panpsychism, theories of consciousness and how meditation and prayer affect our psychology. Seth also describes his atheist-agnostic worldview, and McGilchrist explains his recent embrace of Christian faith.
Watch now, or listen on your favourite podcast platform!
Is there a purpose to the largest thing of all - The Universe? And does the weird world of the smallest things - Quantum Physics - tell us anything about it?
Atheist theologian Emily Qureshi-Hurst believes the evidence points to a purely physical reality. However, astrophysicist Paul Davies says there's a deeper meaning to the 'directionality' of our cosmos. In this mind-expanding conversation, they join me to explain the science they agree on... and work out where they differ.
This episode will release to the public on 6 April, but regular Silver and Gold level supporters can watch it RIGHT NOW!
“I have been listening to Justin for years. His podcasts feed my soul, and I enjoy the moderated and respectful dialogues that ensue in an age of polarization. Justin has a knack for fostering challenging, reasonable, informative material with an invitational kindness. The newly inaugurated "Uncommon Ground" is a delight, and I highly recommend it. Atheists, Agnostics, and Theists alike will have opportunity to hear alternative points of view expounded by experts in their respective fields.”
Park Smith
Become a regular Patreon Supporter.
Silver supporters get early access to new episodes and bonus content. Gold supporters also receive signed copies of my books and monthly catch ups with me.
A great way to make a one-off gift - thank you!
Tax-deductible giving from the USA
If you’d like to give in this way, we are partnering with Defenders Media to make this possible. Just follow the link.
Orthodox thinker Jonathan Pageau and atheist philosopher Joe Folley sit down with me to discuss whether art, culture and human experience point to God.
In a deep and rich conversation ranging across consciousness, science, religion, the incarnation and the resurrection, they debate whether a Divine Logos or natural forces explain the reality we all encounter.
Watch now, or listen on your favourite podcast platform!
Renowned philosopher Iain McGilchrist and eminent neuroscientist Anil Seth sit down with me to discuss whether consciousness is a product of brain chemistry or points to God.
They discuss left and right brain hemispheres, panpsychism, theories of consciousness and how meditation and prayer affect our psychology. Seth also describes his atheist-agnostic worldview, and McGilchrist explains his recent embrace of Christian faith.
This episode will release to the public on 23 March, but regular Silver and Gold level supporters can watch it RIGHT NOW!
“I have received so much from your podcast- it's been thought-provoking and spiritually encouraging. It's a wonderful platform that you provide for people to express different views and the listeners, like myself, to be challenged by.”
Taria, New Zealand
Christianity is making a comeback – but not in the way we expected.
In this episode of VOX POPULI, I was interviewed about the unexpected Christian resurgence in the Western world. What happens when secular intellectuals begin to reassess the significance of faith? Are there parallels between Scandinavia and the British Isles? And how do we prevent faith from being co-opted for political purposes?
A thoughtful conversation about faith, culture, and the future in a post-secular age.
Erik Strandness reviews the Uncommon Ground episode where Glen Scrivener and Alex O’Connor debated the role of Christianity in shaping the West’s morality.
Become a regular Patreon Supporter.
Silver supporters get early access to new episodes and bonus content. Gold supporters also receive signed copies of my books and monthly catch ups with me.
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This was a barnstormer to moderate, and at the time of writing this newsletter, this episode has surpassed 45,000 views in less than 24 hours!
Atheist thinker Alex O'Connor goes toe-to-toe with Christian thinker Glen Scrivener on whether Christianity gave us our belief in kindness, equality, freedom and consent.
Across 2.5 hours of intense conversation, they debate whether or not hospitals, welfare, charity, emancipation, gender equality, human rights and consent hinge on Christian influence.
Watch now, or listen on your favourite podcast platform!
Orthodox thinker Jonathan Pageau and atheist philosopher Joe Folley sit down with me to discuss whether art, culture and human experience point to God.
In a deep and rich conversation ranging across consciousness, science, religion, the incarnation and the resurrection they debate whether a Divine Logos or natural forces explain the reality we all encounter.
This episode will release to the public on 9 March, but regular Silver and Gold level supporters can watch it RIGHT NOW!
“I have received so much from your podcast- it's been thought-provoking and spiritually encouraging. It's a wonderful platform that you provide for people to express different views and the listeners, like myself, to be challenged by.”
Taria, New Zealand
Tom Holland, co-host of The Rest is History, and Peter J. Williams, principal of Tyndale House, participated in a conversation hosted by Pillar and Step - and which I had the privilege of moderating - on the evidence for Jesus' life, death, and resurrection!
In this premiere episode of Socrates Dialogues with Mary Harrington, I joined her to explore the shifting terrain of the New Atheist movement and the surprising cracks forming in its once-confident certainties. Drawing on years of conversations and cultural observation, I examined the “quiet revival”—a renewed openness to faith, meaning, and transcendence emerging beneath the surface of our secular age.
Become a regular Patreon Supporter.
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If you’d like to give in this way, we are partnering with Defenders Media to make this possible. Just follow the link.
My new faith discussion show, bringing together guests with opposing views on God, atheism, science, art and culture, has launched on YouTube and Podcast.
The first episode of Uncommon Ground sees atheist biologist Richard Dawkins, author of ‘The God Delusion’, sit down with Rowan Williams, the former Archbishop of Canterbury, to debate ‘God & Science: Which makes best sense of the poetry of reality?’
The two thinkers last met for two contentious debates at Oxford and Cambridge Universities over a decade ago. This time however, their conversation began very differently. Uncommon Ground seeks to encourage mutual understanding by asking each guest to attempt to summarise their opponent's view as charitably as possible, before the discussion proceeds.
Watch now, or listen on your favourite podcast platform!
Dr Williams summarised Richard Dawkins’ perspective on God and science saying, “Science provides a system of explanation that is elegant and coherent… Religion (wrongly, in your view) introduces an extra level that spoils it. The poetry of reality is undermined if we have to bring in something else from outside the system to make full sense of it. Why not let it be itself?”
Prof Dawkins responded: “Absolutely spot on. That is exactly what I feel. Thank you very much for putting it much better than I could put it!”
When invited to summarise Rowan Williams’ perspective, Dawkins confessed that he was ‘baffled’ by the former Archbishop’s belief in God, saying, “A very common thing that theologians do is to make no easy distinction between what is true and what is allegorical.”
Their conversation went on to cover questions of evolution, survival, meaning and consciousness.
A key part of their discussion concerned Dawkins’ objection that God is an unsatisfactory explanation for the Universe. The scientist insisted that a supernatural being who can ‘listen to all the prayers of all the people in the world’ cannot be ‘simple’ but is a ‘complex’ explanation which in turn needs to be explained.
Williams responded: “The word ‘simple’ works in more than one way. It’s meant to push back against the idea that God could be a ’compound’ of some kind or the result of any process. God simply is the ‘Actus Purus’ - the activation of Divine Life.”
Despite their disagreements, Williams and Dawkins bonded over their love of poetry. Williams, himself a published poet, spoke of the way poetry points to a ‘resonance’ and ‘connectedness’. “What is immediately in front of me is not the whole story”. Meanwhile, Dawkins admitted that he is often ‘moved to tears’ by the works of Shakespeare and WB Yeats, saying, “I find myself unable to read great poetry aloud because I choke up. But I can’t explain what that is.
Filmed on location at Yarnton Manor, a 16th Century manor house near Oxford, Uncommon Ground will see significant philosophers, scientists, theologians, authors and activists debate meaning, purpose, and the deepest questions of human existence.
The first 10-episode Season will also feature conversations between:
Alex O’Connor & Glen Scrivener - ‘Did Christianity give us our morality?’
Jonathan Pageau & Joe Folley - ‘Does art, culture and human experience point to God?’
Iain McGilchrist & Anil Seth - ‘Minds, brains and consciousness’
Elizabeth Oldfield & James Marriott - ‘Is there a purpose to life?’
Emily Qureshi-Hurst & Paul Davies - ‘Is there a purpose to the Universe?’
Stephen C Meyer & Phil Halper - ‘Cosmology and the case for God’
Philip Pullman & Francis Spufford - ‘Literature, imagination and religion’
Ann Furedi & Lois Mclatchie - ‘The case for and against abortion’
William Lane Craig & Emily Qureshi-Hurst ‘God, time and eternity’
Online culture is full of algorithmically-driven echo chambers. We desperately need better conversations. I’m thrilled to return to moderating discussions between thinkers of opposing views, debating the most important questions of existence.
But Uncommon Ground is much more than just a debate. We want our guests to ‘connect before they correct’, by truly understanding each other’s positions. I’ve discovered it’s a very effective way of creating conversations that open up space for genuine empathy and curiosity. And that’s some thing we desperately need right now.
Make sure you subscribe to the Podcast or watch the new show via our YouTube channel. Or get access to new shows up to 2 weeks early when you become a supporter 👇
Atheist thinker Alex O'Connor goes toe-to-toe with Christian thinker Glen Scrivener on whether Christianity gave us our belief in kindness, equality, freedom and consent.
Across 2.5 hours of intense conversation they debate whether or not hospitals, welfare, charity, emancipation, gender equality, human rights and consent hinge on Christian influence.
This episode will release to the public on 23 February, but regular Silver and Gold level supporters can watch it RIGHT NOW!
“I have received so much from your podcast- it's been thought-provoking and spiritually encouraging. It's a wonderful platform that you provide for people to express different views and the listeners, like myself, to be challenged by.”
Taria, New Zealand
Best wishes!
Justin Brierley
Become a regular Patreon Supporter.
Silver supporters get early access to new episodes and bonus content. Gold supporters also receive signed copies of my books and monthly catch ups with me.
A great way to make a one-off gift - thank you!
Tax-deductible giving from the USA
If you’d like to give in this way, we are partnering with Defenders Media to make this possible. Just follow the link.
The world's most famous atheist, Richard Dawkins, sits down to talk with the former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams in the very first episode of Uncommon Ground, which I have the privilege of hosting!
In a wide-ranging conversation on atheism, faith, poetry, music, meaning, love, complexity, suffering, evolution and survival they discuss whether God or science makes best sense of 'the poetry of reality'.
Watch now, or listen on your favourite podcast platform!
Atheist thinker Alex O'Connor goes toe-to-toe with Christian thinker Glen Scrivener on whether Christianity gave us our belief in kindness, equality, freedom and consent.
Across 2.5 hours of intense conversation they debate whether or not hospitals, welfare, charity, emancipation, gender equality, human rights and consent hinge on Christian influence.
This episode will release to the public on 23 February, but regular Silver and Gold level supporters can watch it RIGHT NOW!
“I have received so much from your podcast- it's been thought-provoking and spiritually encouraging. It's a wonderful platform that you provide for people to express different views and the listeners, like myself, to be challenged by.”
Taria, New Zealand
Best wishes!
Justin Brierley
Become a regular Patreon Supporter.
Silver supporters get early access to new episodes and bonus content. Gold supporters also receive signed copies of my books and monthly catch ups with me.
A great way to make a one-off gift - thank you!
Tax-deductible giving from the USA
If you’d like to give in this way, we are partnering with Defenders Media to make this possible. Just follow the link.
Featuring many of the biggest thinkers across the atheist and Christian spectrum, this show sees me return to the moderating seat, hosting conversations between guests of different perspectives on science, faith, atheism, philosophy, Christianity, culture, and God. All in the beautiful setting of historic Yarnton Manor, Oxford. Watch our promotional video to find out more!
Instead of adding to the noise of the culture wars, Uncommon Ground creates space to disagree well—aiming to establish curiosity, clarity, and genuine understanding across the polarities that can divide us…
The world's most famous atheist, Richard Dawkins, sits down to talk with the former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams in the very first episode of Uncommon Ground.
In a wide-ranging conversation on atheism, faith, poetry, music, meaning, love, complexity, suffering, evolution and survival they discuss whether God or science makes best sense of 'the poetry of reality'.
This episode will release to the public on 10 February, but regular Silver and Gold level supporters get access to episodes 2 weeks early, which means you can watch it right now!
“I have received so much from your podcast- it's been thought-provoking and spiritually encouraging. It's a wonderful platform that you provide for people to express different views and the listeners, like myself, to be challenged by.”
Taria, New Zealand
Best wishes!
Justin Brierley
Become a regular Patreon Supporter.
Silver supporters get early access to new episodes and bonus content. Gold supporters also receive signed copies of my books and monthly catch ups with me.
A great way to make a one-off gift - thank you!
Tax-deductible giving from the USA
If you’d like to give in this way, we are partnering with Defenders Media to make this possible. Just follow the link.
I hope your January has gotten off to a good start.
Here at Think Faith we are already busy producing episodes of our forthcoming video podcast 'Uncommon Ground'. More details about the new show are coming in the next newsletter!
Coming soon…!
By the way, thanks to all those who sent appreciation for the finale of Season 2 of The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God.
And huge thanks also to those who responded to our end-of-year giving campaign. It means we are in a really strong place to continue bringing you Thinking Faith in 2026.
PS If you'd like to add your support (which will get you early access to our new show 2 weeks from today)... the link is here. 👇
Many saw scientific discoveries of the 17th, 18th and 19th Centuries as casting doubt on the existence of God. But a 'Great Reversal' has happened in the 20th Century according to bestselling book 'God: The Science, The Evidence'.
I host a conversation between Philosopher of Science Dr Stephen C Meyer, author of 'Return Of The God Hypothesis' and Michel-Yves Bollore, co-author of 'God: The Science, The Evidence'. Watch now on YouTube!
Knowing how to navigate the highs and lows of the church in history can be complicated, but it is far from impossible! Join me on January 30 & 31 for the Apologetics Canada Conference in Burnaby, BC, as we seek to provide satisfying answers to curious questions and present a compelling case for the impact of the church in history — whether that's in the first or the twenty-first century. Book here!
Season 2 of The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God has reached its finale!
30 episodes, 46 hours listening time!
Want to start from the beginning? Listen now on your favourite podcast platform!
“Your content has contributed to me coming back to Christ. My atheist husband is now interested in learning more too.”
Heather, show listener
Become a regular Patreon Supporter.
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2025 has been a blessed year for my work through Think Faith:
'The Surprising Rebirth Of Belief In God' podcast continued to tell the story of the way faith is returning to the West, with almost 2 million downloads since launch.
We've had over 1.5 million views of our videos on our YouTube channel.
We've continued to partner with Seen & Unseen across 3 new seasons of the 'Re-Enchanting' podcast.
I published a new book - 'Why I'm Still A Christian: After two decade of conversations with skeptics and atheists - the reason I believe'.
My work has been featured in The Times newspaper, Christianity Today magazine and elsewhere, and I've been able to contribute interviews to BBC Radio 4, Spectator TV, LBC and numerous other podcast and media outlets.
I've spoken at events across the UK, Europe and the USA. In November we put on a major London conference with Speak Life - Responding To The Rebirth.
In the process I've had the privilege of reaching hundreds of thousands of people with Thinking Faith.
“Your content has contributed to me coming back to Christ. My atheist husband is now interested in learning more too.”
Heather, show listener
In 2026 we will be launching a brand new discussion show 'Uncommon Ground'.
Featuring many of the biggest thinkers across the atheist and Christian spectrum, this show will see me back in the moderating seat, hosting conversations between those of different perspectives.
Filmed in the beautiful setting of Yarnton Manor, Oxford, we'll be discussing science, faith, atheism, history, philosophy, ethics, meaning and the deepest questions of existence.
These conversations are aimed at reaching across the divide of our polarised echo chambers - something I believe our culture desperately needs right now.
I'm so looking forward to seeing these shows go public. Look out for more details in January!
But... as our work expands, so does the cost of producing good quality resources that encourage both believers and skeptics to engage a thinking faith.
So.... as 2025 comes to and end, and 2026 begins... would you be willing to help me continue to produce podcast, videos, events and resources that reach people with thinking faith?
You can support my work by becoming a monthly supporter via Patreon, or via Tax-deductible giving from the USA. Or you can give a one-off gift via PayPal.
The link to support is here:
P.S. A big thank-you to everyone who has been listening, watching and engaging with the work of Think Faith this past year. Your prayers and encouragement also make a huge difference to our work!
Best wishes for 2026!
Justin Brierley
Become a regular Patreon Supporter.
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If you’d like to give in this way, we are partnering with Defenders Media to make this possible. Just follow the link.
In this Season 2 finale, I ask: 'What's next for the Surprising Rebirth?'
When the podcast series launched in 2023, many were skeptical of a 'Surprising Rebirth'. However, two years later, some say statistical evidence is pointing towards a 'Quiet Revival'.
But there has been pushback too... I interrogate the data, hearing objections and responses from sociologist David Voas and Bible Society researcher Rhiannon McAleer.
Peter Dray of IFES charts Gen Z spirituality, while podcaster Elizabeth Oldfield and journalist James Marriott discuss the rise of 'Full Fat Faith' converts.
Australian church leader Mark Sayers and British MP Danny Kruger also tackle the vexed question of whether far right politics is co-opting Christianity as the search for a better story continues.
Listen now on your favourite podcast platform!
As the end of the year approaches I’d be so grateful if you would consider supporting my work with a financial gift.
It's been an amazing past year - we’ve produced a second 30-episode season of The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God, 3 seasons of the Re-Enchanting podcast, as well as growing our video channel and engaging in numerous live events.
In the process I've reached hundreds of thousands of people through podcast, video and speaking engagements.
But as our work expands so does that cost of producing good quality resources that encourage both believers and skeptics to engage a thinking faith.
You can support my work by becoming monthly supporter via Patreon, or via Tax-deductible giving from the USA. Or you can give a one-off gift via PayPal.
Every gift will make a great difference to our work continuing strong in 2026… including an exciting new show launching in the new year - more details to follow!
For now if you can help please do head towards our giving page.
With many thanks
Justin
You can now purchase all the recordings from November’s Responding to the Rebirth conference, at: rebirthconference.net
Want to watch some clips first? Watch the compilation on our YouTube channel!
For over two thousand years, the story of Jesus has shaped cultures, inspired faith, and sparked debate. But how much of what we know is rooted in historical evidence, and how much is tradition or belief?
Award-winning historian and broadcaster Tom Holland is joined by Dr Peter J. Williams, Principal of Tyndale House - a world-renowned centre for biblical research, as they explore the history of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Listen as these two historians with differing perspectives, discuss their commonalities and differences in approach to the evidence… and I have the huge privilege of hosting this discussion!
His-Story: Fantasy, Facts or Faith? with Tom Holland and Dr Peter J. Williams, will take place on 15 January 2026, at All Souls Langham Place, London, in the UK.
AJ Sherrill pastors St Peter's Church in Charleston, South Carolina. He is the author of ‘Rediscovering Christmas: Surprising insights into the story you thought you knew’. He joins me and Belle to re-enchant… Christmas!
I’ve received many encouraging messages about the Surprising Rebirth Podcast in the past month, including this one:
“Hello!
Just wanted to message and say I've very recently (at the age of 36) become a Christian. Your book 'why I'm still a Christian' and your podcast have been incredibly helpful in answering a lot of the questions I’ve held after my whole life being an atheist/agnostic… thank you.”
Sophie
I can only create this podcast with the support of listeners, so if you feel able please do become a supporter!
Become a regular Patreon Supporter.
Silver supporters get early access to new episodes and bonus content. Gold supporters also receive signed copies of my books and monthly catch ups with me.
A great way to make a one-off gift - thank you!
Tax-deductible giving from the USA
If you’d like to give in this way, we are partnering with Defenders Media to make this possible. Just follow the link.
Best wishes from me and the Think Faith team!
Justin Brierley.
'Responding To The Rebirth' - Glen Scrivener and I were joined by speakers Elizabeth Oldfield, Bishop Mike Royal, Prof John Lennox, Dai Woolridge, Rhiannon McAleer, Al Gordon, Rev Daniel French and Sarah Yardley.
I present highlights from the London conference, including, talks, videos, panel conversations and audience Q&A.
Listen now on your favourite podcast platform!
As the end of the year approaches I’d be so grateful if you would consider supporting my work with a financial gift.
It's been an amazing past year - we’ve produced a second 30-episode season of The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God, 3 seasons of the Re-Enchanting podcast, as well as growing our video channel and engaging in numerous live events.
In the process I've reached hundreds of thousands of people through podcast, video and speaking engagements.
But as our work expands so does that cost of producing good quality resources that encourage both believers and skeptics to engage a thinking faith.
You can support my work by becoming monthly supporter via Patreon, or via Tax-deductible giving from the USA. Or you can give a one-off gift via PayPal.
Every gift will make a great difference to our work continuing strong in 2026… including an exciting new show launching in the new year - more details to follow!
For now if you can help please do head towards our giving page.
With many thanks
Justin
In this Season 2 finale, I ask: 'What's next for the Surprising Rebirth?'
When the podcast series launched in 2023, many were skeptical of a 'Surprising Rebirth'. However, two years later, some say statistical evidence is pointing towards a 'Quiet Revival'.
But there has been pushback too... I interrogate the data, hearing objections and responses from sociologist David Voas and Bible Society researcher Rhiannon McAleer.
Peter Dray of IFES charts Gen Z spirituality, while podcaster Elizabeth Oldfield and journalist James Marriott discuss the rise of 'Full Fat Faith' converts.
Australian church leader Mark Sayers and British MP Danny Kruger also tackle the vexed question of whether far right politics is co-opting Christianity as the search for a better story continues.
You can listen to the episode right now - two weeks early - as a monthly silver or gold level supporter via Patreon or US Tax-Deductible Giving.
You can also watch some of the conference footage in this first of two compilation videos! Purchase the full conference videos at: rebirthconference.net
Molly Worthen is an academic and journalist who has spent much of her career chronicling the history of religion in the USA. Two years ago she joined me and Belle for Re-Enchanting, to talk about her own unlikely journey to faith as an adult convert to Christianity.
She returns to talk about her new book ‘Spellbound’ - charting America’s love affair with charismatic leaders in religion and politics. Today we attempt to re-enchant… ‘Charisma’.
Bishop Rose Hudson-Wilkin MBE is Bishop of Dover and Bishop in Canterbury. An utter trailblazer: she is the Church of England’s first black female bishop, was the first female Chaplain to the Speaker to the House of Commons and a Chaplain to Queen Elizabeth II. She is also the author of her autobiography – The Girl from Montego Bay – in which she shares her story with raw and unflinching honesty.
I’ve received many encouraging messages about the Surprising Rebirth Podcast in the past month, including this one:
“Hello!
Just wanted to message and say I've very recently (at the age of 36) become a Christian. Your book 'why I'm still a Christian' and your podcast have been incredibly helpful in answering a lot of the questions I’ve held after my whole life being an atheist/agnostic… thank you.”
Sophie
I can only create this podcast with the support of listeners, so if you feel able please do become a supporter!
Become a regular Patreon Supporter.
Silver supporters get early access to new episodes and bonus content. Gold supporters also receive signed copies of my books and monthly catch ups with me.
A great way to make a one-off gift - thank you!
Tax-deductible giving from the USA
If you’d like to give in this way, we are partnering with Defenders Media to make this possible. Just follow the link.
Best wishes from me and the Think Faith team!
Justin Brierley.
