I have the great privilege this evening of speaking about the Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God, for the Liberal Democrat Christian Forum Gladstone lecture!
It’s not too late to book in! It’s this evening, Tuesday 13 May, at 6:30pm to 8:30pm at the National Liberal Club Whitehall, London. Book here!
Exciting news! As you’ve probably heard me reporting on before, signs of renewed interest in God are growing across the UK — from packed Easter services to rising church attendance.
We believe this is a unique missional moment. That’s why Glen Scrivener (Speak Life) and I are hosting “Responding To The Rebirth” — a one-day conference at All Souls Church, London, on Saturday 22 November.
Join us and a lineup of inspiring speakers as we equip the church to meet this moment with faith and clarity.
Save the date – tickets and more details coming soon!
I’ve received many encouraging messages about the Surprising Rebirth Podcast, including this one:
“Great pacing, an array of speakers and options. Coupled with Justin's thoughtful commentary and you get beautifully crafted brain food and a spiritual uplift. Something rare and precious.”
Bicwyzer, podcast listener
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.
In a world where masculinity is often branded 'toxic' and traditional gender roles are in flux, many young men are searching for identity. Some are looking to manosphere influencers like Andrew Tate. Others have been drawn to Jordan Peterson. But an increasing number are trying out church.
in the first of 2 documentary episodes, I trace the roots of the modern male identity crisis and the voices competing for their attention online. New York pastor Jon Tyson, Dr Anthony Bradley and evangelist Glen Scrivener outline the opportunity for Christian mentors to model examples of true masculinity to young men.
I also hear the surprising rebirth story of Anglican ordinand Oliver Murray.
Listen through your favourite podcast provider!
From podcast giants like Joe Rogan to Gen-Z YouTubers like Ryan Trahan, many male influencers are talking about faith in public. Multiple polls are also showing a notable increase in churchgoing among young men in the UK, Europe and the USA. A surprising rebirth in the 'manosphere' seems to be underway.
I speak with Anthony Bradley, Glen Scrivener and Sarah Coppin on why young men are returning to faith, and hear from Bible Society researcher Rhiannon McAleer about the current 'Quiet Revival' in the UK, especially among young men.
But how can the church ensure the new interest among men doesn't come at the expense of women? Theologian Lucy Peppiatt shares her experience of raising boys in the faith, and we hear from Jon Tyson on true masculinity. Former atheist Stu Fhulendorf also shares his surprising rebirth story from successful entrepreneur to recovering alcoholic who found Christ.
Listen through your favourite podcast provider!
Orthodox thinker and icon carver Jonathan Pageau joins me to talk about why the God conversation has been intensifying in recent years. Along with Belle Tindall, we also cover atheism, the resurrection, the Bible and why symbolic patterns underlie our experience of the world.
Pageau also gives the backstory to his friendship with Jordan Peterson who has been increasingly challenged to clarify his views on God, Jesus and the resurrection in the past year by atheists such as Richard Dawkins and Alex O'Connor.
You can listen early right now by becoming a monthly silver or gold level supporter via Patreon or US Tax-Deductible Giving.
Giles Fraser meets columnist Giles Coren, who was raised in the Jewish tradition, became an atheist and who now feels at home in a Christian church, to explore what it means to be culturally religious.
Is cultural religiosity an oxymoron and totally untenable? Is it on the rise or has it always been there? Is it damaging to traditional religious practices? And, does it really matter?
I had the privilege to join this discussion panel with Giles, on BBC Radio 4. Listen here.
Freddy Gray spoke with me about signs of a Christian revival in the UK, particularly among young men. We discussed cultural and social shifts contributing to renewed interest in Christianity, including influences like Jordan Peterson, the crisis of male identity, and dissatisfaction with secularism. The conversation touched on growing church attendance, especially in Catholic and Pentecostal settings, and considers whether this revival could help sustain church institutions. Watch on YouTube.
What if everything you thought you knew about religion's decline in the West was wrong? I spoke on Evangelical 360 about the remarkable cultural shift happening beneath our noses. Watch on YouTube.
I’ve received many encouraging messages about the Surprising Rebirth Podcast in the past month, including this one:
“Great pacing, an array of speakers and options. Coupled with Justin's thoughtful commentary and you get beautifully crafted brain food and a spiritual uplift. Something rare and precious.”
Bicwyzer, podcast listener
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.
I was excited to recently receive the first physical copy of my new book ‘Why I’m Still a Christian’. This is publication week in the USA (with the rest of the world following soon!)
The subject matter of the book is summed up in the subtitle - ‘After two decades of conversations with skeptics and atheists - the reason I believe’.
I’ve spent all my working life creating conversations on radio, podcast and video between the secular and Christian world. Along the way I’ve had the opportunity to sit down with hundreds of of the world’s leading atheists - including Richard Dawkins, Daniel Dennett, Derren Brown and Philip Pullman - to hear their arguments against God and Christianity.
But across the table from each atheist has invariably been an erudite and thoughtful Christian thinker - people like John Lennox, William Lane Craig and Tim Keller, to name just a few.
Hearing the arguments for and against Christianity, I was able to put the pieces together for myself. In doing so I’ve come to the conclusion that God is the best explanation of human existence, value and purpose.
I believe this book will be an encouragement to Christians who want to share their faith with confidence. But my hope and prayer is that this book will also be handed to curious skeptics or non-believers, and help them address the deepest questions of faith.
As a revised and updated edition of my first book, it includes fresh material, including a new chapter on ‘Deconstruction’ and how to inhabit a more durable faith when doubt strikes.
You can read a free chapter here.
Or… you can find the book for sale here.
Alternatively… I’d be delighted to send you a SIGNED copy… Order here.
However… if you become a ‘gold supporter’ of my work I’ll send you signed copies of BOTH my books - ‘Why I’m Still A Christian’ and ‘The Surprising Rebirth Of Belief In God’ - as a thank-you!
You can support via Patreon or US Tax-deductible giving.
We live at a moment when people are more open to Christian faith than they have been in all my lifetime. So I hope you’ll consider getting hold of the book and maybe even pass it on to someone who is curious about faith.
Best wishes,
Justin Brierley
Agnostic philosopher Philip Goff has been on a 'surprising rebirth' journey recently. After announcing his embrace of a 'slightly heretical' form of Christianity, he says he has come to believe in a God of limited power.
Renowned Christian philosopher William Lane Craig engages Goff in a conversation on the universe, suffering and Christian faith, as they debate whether a 'limited' God makes sense of science, philosophy and the resurrection.
After hosting the conversation, Justin Brierley is joined by Peter Byrom for post-debate reflections on what happened during the spirited dialogue between the two philosophers.
Watch the event on the YouTube link above, or the full podcast episode through your favourite podcast provider!
I report from the ARC conference in London where over 4,000 secular and religious attendees met to hear about the renewal of civilisation from speakers such as Jordan Peterson, Douglas Murray, Jonathan Pageau and Ayaan Hirsi Ali.
But in the era of Trump 2.0, is the Alliance for Responsible Citizenship co-opting Christianity for conservative political purposes?
I interview Christian speakers Bishop Robert Barron, Miriam Cates and Johannes Hartl on what ARC is. I also hear from influencers Ruslan KD, Whaddo You Meme and Biased Skeptic, plus delegates Peter Lynas, Jeff Fountain and Mikhael Laursen on the overlap of politics and faith. I also find out why New York Times columnist David Brooks created such a stir.
I also dialogue with secular meaning seekers and influencers, including Andrew Gold, James Lindsay and Carl Benjamin, who have abandoned New Atheism and discovered a new appreciation for the value of Christianity.
Listen through your favourite podcast provider!
Conservative cultural critic James Lindsay tells me why he has abandoned 'new atheism' and now takes the Bible seriously. Can Christian thinker Bethel McGrew persuade him to go further and place his faith in Christ?
This conversation was recorded during ARC 2025. It will be publicly released on April 18th, but if you become a silver or gold-level supporter then you can watch it right now!
In a world where masculinity is often branded 'toxic' and traditional gender roles are in flux, many young men are searching for identity. Some are looking to manosphere influencers like Andrew Tate. Others have been drawn to Jordan Peterson. But an increasing number are trying out church!
These two documentary episodes trace the root of the modern male identity crisis, and why there’s a notable increase in churchgoing among young men in the UK, Europe, and the USA.
You can listen to them both early right now by becoming a monthly silver or gold level supporter via Patreon or US Tax-Deductible Giving.
I spoke to Rhiannon McAleer, the researcher behind Bible Society UK’s surprising new study showing an unprecedented rise in churchgoing and religious interest among young people, known as the “Quiet Revival”.
Glen Scrivener of Speak Life gives his take on the “Quiet Revival” reported by the Bible Society: 10 huge shifts in Britain’s spiritual temperature!
How do you spend 20 years talking to some of the world’s most well-known atheists and still remain a committed Christian? Is it possible that belief in God actually makes sense?
I joined Frank Turek to discuss my upcoming book, 'Why I'm Still a Christian: After Two Decades of Conversations with Skeptics and Atheists–The Reason I Believe' and shared how I kept my faith intact while engaging with skeptics from around the world.
Watch on YouTube or listen on podcast!
Are we on the brink of a revival? On The Young Heretics Podcast, we talked faith and politics in the U.S. and the U.K., how the church may have let men down, and where this is all going next.
Watch on YouTube or listen on podcast!
I’ve received many encouraging messages about the Surprising Rebirth Podcast in the past month, including this one:
“Great pacing, an array of speakers and options. Coupled with Justin's thoughtful commentary and you get beautifully crafted brain food and a spiritual uplift. Something rare and precious.”
Bicwyzer, podcast listener
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.
‘Rumours of my death have been greatly exaggerated’. Mark Twain’s iconic line could equally apply to the UK church in light of extraordinary new statistical evidence, released today.
Bible Society UK have just published astonishing new research from 2024 showing a significant rise in the number of young people reporting belief in God and attending church in England and Wales. The statistics for young men aged 18-24 are even more surprising - an increase of between 4 to 5 times more young men attending church than was reported in 2018.
It tallies with recent statistics in various other parts of the West showing a renewal of interest in Christianity and churchgoing. It also confirms much of what I have been hearing from church leaders up and down the country - non-Christian young people, especially young men, are taking an interest in faith. If you want to learn more about ‘The Surprising Rebirth of Belief In God’ you may want to check out my book and podcast series.
In this interview I spoke to Dr Rhiannon McAleer, Director of Research and Impact at the Bible Society about the remarkable new findings they have just released.
P.S. Rhiannon will be joining me along with co-host Glen Scrivener and special guests for the ‘Responding To The Rebirth’ Conference in London on Sat 22 Nov 2025. Save the date! Ticketing coming soon.
Rhiannon, tell us about this new research. What were the questions you were asking? What were you hoping to find out?
Bible Society has been undertaking large population attitudinal studies for a number of years now. We did our first one in 2018 and we asked the population of England and Wales a whole bunch of questions about how they feel about the Bible, but also their religious practices, like: Do they go to church? Do they take part in other spiritual activities? What do they think of Christians and the church at large? All those kinds of things.
And we have recently rerun this at scale. For the 2018 survey we did a massive sample of 19,000 people. Last year we repeated the survey in its entirety and we polled 13,000 people - which again is absolutely massive - so they're both really robust surveys and give us a really good picture of how attitudes and behaviours around Christianity and the Bible have changed in the last six years. Obviously we've got Covid in the middle so we were really excited to see what this data was going to show for us.
And one of the most exciting and surprising things to come out was that the church has grown.
So we have more people telling us they go to church on at least a monthly basis than in 2018. And where this growth is happening is the most exciting thing. Back in 2018, under 4% of 18 to 24 year olds said they were going to church at least monthly. So we all know that story, right? The church is getting older and declining.
“The most rapid or most exciting change within those young people is among the young men.”
But today we're seeing that 16% of 18 to 24 year olds are telling us that they're going to church at least monthly. And the most rapid or most exciting change within those young people is among the young men.
We've certainly seen a rise in young women saying they're going to church and that's important to note. But for the young men in 2018 - under 4% were saying they were going to church regularly. It's now gone up to 21% which is just massive! It has surprised us, I’m not going to lie! And we have looked extensively into the data and tried to unpick it, to see if there's a methodological reason that this might have happened.
But, Bible Society, like many organisations, has been hearing indications of warmth among young people for a couple of years now, and particularly young men. So this data has backed up what we were hearing on the ground anyway, which is really cool.
It's really interesting! I've taken a personal interest in this because I've written a book and hosted a podcast series talking about the rebirth of belief in God.
I have also picked up on lots of anecdotal stories of young men being influenced in the direction of church and faith through various online influencers. But also just a lot of pastors telling me: "I've just had young guys walking into church, they want to find out more, they're picking up a Bible", and so on. Does this data appear to lend statistical evidence for what people were sensing something was happening in the last couple of years?
Right, it's exactly that. And if you were to do a single survey and these results came up, you could quite reasonably question, ‘did you have a good sample? Was there something going on with your participants?’
The really interesting thing about our data sets though, is that we have this comparison to 2018. We've also surveyed in the years in between as well, but we just didn't do the full survey. So not necessarily a pure like for like. So when you are looking at that trend data you have to then question why didn't we see this in 2018 if it was an issue with the sample? Or what has happened to young people to make them say they're going to church more when they didn't think they needed to say that in 2018 if they're not actually going to church?
Both of these samples, because they're big at scale, were conducted by YouGov, which is an extremely reliable research panel - they give us confidence in the data. So absolutely we would suggest that this is the statistical backup for the anecdotes that we've been hearing for some time and it is remarkable to see it at this level of scale.
“This is the statistical backup for the anecdotes that we've been hearing for some time”
But when we worked out the numbers, we did see that actually, while it feels really dramatic, if you look at the number of churches over the country, you only need to be seeing actually a handful of people coming into any particular congregation. So you might not necessarily notice it. And that's why we've called our report ‘The Quiet Revival’, because it's not a rush. It's not a flood. But overall, it is having an impact on communities and certainly impact on our statistics.
I’m aware there have been similar data points noted in other parts of the world. In Finland, there was a more than doubling of young men reported. Likewise, there's been some publicity recently around the sudden boom in young men entering the Orthodox Church in parishes in the USA and elsewhere. So do you sense that this is wider than just a UK phenomenon?
Yes, absolutely. I mean, you've named the major places that this stuff has already been coming out - and Britain, England and Wales is not out of step with America and Finland as cultures. Obviously, we have our differences, but on the whole, we're in quite a similar kind of context - sometimes described as post-Christian or secular.
When we look at young people as a whole, there are some really interesting things going on with them. I think you can look at the self-help genre, for example, and people like Jordan Peterson outside of his work on the Bible and Christianity. There's a theme around self-improvement and the interest in stoics - self-discipline, a search for a different way of doing things that we were seeing across scale, wellbeing, not being opposed to spirituality as part of that holistic well-being. All of these things, I think, are broad trends that we do see in young people. And the really interesting thing is that for many young people, they are finding these things in church. Certainly not all of them, but it's still a massive change, certainly from millennials and even six years ago.
We don't know the extent to which COVID might have had an accelerant on this, that young people in our survey would have been teenagers at the time that they were experiencing lockdowns and the existential crisis of society looking quite radically different very quickly.
“There's a theme around self-improvement and the interest in wellbeing… many young people are finding these things in church.”
These trends were starting probably earlier than we've observed, but there might have been a bit of an accelerant.
The interesting thing when you look at the charts is you actually see a bit of a dip for people who were 35 to 55. So they almost look like the exceptional generations that are almost weirdly anti-religious compared to the emerging generation now and certainly older people. So that belief that the charts only go one way, I think we're seeing being challenged.
Of course, we can't then predict what the long-term future looks like. This could be a bubble of interest that pops, but there is certainly real excitement that the future could look different to what it has done for the last 20 or 30 years.
Some people might ask, "Well, is this growth perhaps a result of migration and people from more Christian cultures and young people from those cultures coming along to church in greater numbers"? Have you been able to factor that in as well?
Yeah, absolutely. So there's two things going on in our data. So one of them is that we do see greater diversity in the church in terms of ethnicity than we did in the past and that we have seen this particularly among young Christians. So overall about one in five churchgoers is from an ethnic minority. In our data, when you look at the 18 to 34s, this actually rises to one in three. So that is absolutely observed and what's going on.
But it is not the story of the growth alone, because when we look at the white population, especially among young people, we see that this growth is mirrored. So among our white young men, aged 18 to 24, it's the same growth pattern as you see at the average. So under 4% in 2018, up to between 18 and 21 percent depending on whether you put the older people in their 20s in that group or whether you stop at 24. When we're layering age onto ethnicity and all these things we're getting into smaller samples so we prefer the bigger groups, but you are seeing growth among the white population, so it's not just a migration story.
One of the things that the new research points out is the fact that the Christians in the sample report greater belief in God and more Bible reading than in the 2018 survey - essentially increased religiosity. So it isn't just people wearing the cultural label of Christian. These are people who seem to be quite actually engaged in Christian practice?
Yes, and that is really, really key, I think.
We've known for some time that there is a difference between people who say they're Christian (especially people who tick that box on the census) and people who actually practice Christianity. That's a known trend in sociology for some time. But I think what's really key to note here is that the people who are joining the church are not joining just because they get a sense of belonging or they're looking for community, or that they're belonging without believing. They are saying that they have a strong belief in God. Bible reading rates as a whole among the church have gone up quite a lot since 2018.
“The people who are joining the church are not joining just because they get a sense of belonging. They are saying that they have a strong belief in God.”
We talk about Bible confidence - how do you feel about the Bible in terms of head, heart and hands? And on most of those statements we have seen an increase that the church is looking more Bible confident. So while the number of people who are saying that they're Christian without practicing is either declining or staying the same, we're certainly not seeing young people take on Christian identity without practice. But the active church is vibrant, and I think that's really key for the church to know.
Likewise, in another aspect of this research which you title ‘The Spiritual Generation’, you say that in addition to the increased church going, young people in the sample show above average levels of warmth to spirituality, to the church and spiritual practice. Could you take us through some of those particular findings?
Yeah, they're a really interesting group as a whole, the 18 to 24s. They're the group who are most likely to say that they pray - and that's not just going to be Christian prayer, that's across other religions and non-religious sorts of prayer, if you can put it that way. They're the group most likely to have engaged in a spiritual practice in the last six months, and meditation usually tops the list. But even when you get into perhaps more niche practices like magic, or tarot, they're doing these at twice the frequency of the national average. So to greater extents across the board they show increased openness to spirituality.
On the subject of church they are often quite above average in their warmth to statements like "it's a positive thing for Christians to talk about their faith". With non-Christians they show above average interest in saying that "I'm interested in discovering more about the Bible". If I was to sum them up I'd say that curiosity and openness is just a feature of that cohort overall when we compare it to the national average.
I have heard Gen Z described as ‘the open generation’. Research earlier this year showed that, in fact, Gen Z are half as likely to be atheists compared to their Millennial and Gen X parents. So it seems other research is tallying with this warmth and openness to spirituality in general?
“We're seeing a really strong challenge to the idea that Christianity will continue to decline”
Yeah, absolutely. And that research that you're referring to follows this pattern that we're seeing that Gen X, maybe some of the boomers and millennials, are almost the abnormality in the trend of "weirdly unreligious". It will be so fascinating to see how this unfolds as more Gen Z come of age and whether these practices remain. But I think we're certainly seeing a really strong challenge across multiple datasets and more general qualitative observations that 21st century Britain does not inevitably become cooler to religion or Christianity or that Christianity will continue to decline while other religions grow. I just don't think that we can argue that as strongly as we were arguing it 20 years ago.
And this comes with an opportunity for churches and Christians. What's the sort of openness that you're seeing now for people who maybe haven't actually turned up in church, but who might be willing to give it a go?
Yeah, we definitely are seeing openness in our data sets. So one of the really interesting stats we found was when we asked non-churchgoers “would they go to church if they were invited by a friend or family member?” 31%, just under a third, said they would, which is pretty amazing. And that rose a little bit to 34% of 18 to 24 year olds who were non-churchgoers. So we’ve certainly seen this growth, but it's not a ceiling. And when we think about the importance of friendships and relationships to people exploring faith, that's a really interesting place to begin.
We saw that two thirds of the population said they'd be happy for a Christian friend to pray for them. And just over a quarter said they'd be interested in learning more about the Bible. And that's just so much bigger than the number who are regularly in church, which even in this new data set is only 12%. So that interest is far greater than those who are currently practicing.
And I think one of the big themes that comes through is just how important relationships and friendships are. We asked people to agree or disagree with a statement around whether they would read the Bible if a friend or family recommended it to them versus if a philosopher or thinker, or public figure recommended it to them. And in general the agreement rate is far higher if friends or family recommended it rather than public thinkers. So certainly people like Jordan Peterson are important, I don't think there's any question on that, but really what makes people open to trying new things does seem to be at the much more personal and local level. So yes, we would encourage everyone to see openness as something for them to explore and think about.
“Two thirds of the population said they'd be happy for a Christian friend to pray for them”
My final question is: Where is this all coming from? You've talked about the influencers who are pointing people, especially young men, back in the direction of faith and the Bible. But it's still quite remarkable, isn't it, that having seen a couple of generations that are almost unusually anti-religious, you're suddenly seeing this warmth appearing, young men coming back into church and so on. What's driving that, would you say?
Before I give my thoughts on it, I would really encourage anyone who is encountering this growth to really just speak to the young people themselves. I don't think there is a known and obvious answer, and I think we've got a lot more listening and unpacking to do before we can put the theory around it. So I would say, be curious, ask questions. How important was Jordan Peterson really? How much did it come from something else like a deep seeking sort of within?
Within our data sets, we certainly see that churchgoers have better wellbeing and life satisfaction. They are more likely to feel connected to local people in their area, less likely to report that they frequently feel anxious and depressed, for example. We know that there are massive challenges for young people in Britain today around isolation and loss of connection. And so I look at these outcomes and I say: Is it any wonder that young people would be drawn to places that you can turn up that people are happy to see you? A place that helps you connect through things like volunteering your time, giving to food banks, as well as the spiritual dimension and a new way of doing life.
I think many people, regardless of their age, feel that something is broken at the moment and we're not quite sure how we ended up in the state that we've ended up in. The willingness to return to things or try new things doesn't particularly surprise me. We know from our wider research that major life changes, such as bereavement, the birth of a child, job loss or change, moving house - all these things make people more spiritually open or curious for moments in their time. There are times in life when they are more open than others. Young people are in one of those transitions now.
”Many people feel that something is broken at the moment. The willingness to return to things or try new things doesn't particularly surprise me.”
I think the atmosphere around religion being a bad thing has perhaps cooled a bit. I think the atmosphere is clearer to explore these things without being seen as a bit weird that perhaps was there for millennials. And we have gone through a major ongoing existential world crisis, starting with COVID and onwards. If we see that death, bereavement, change, disruption at a personal level make a difference, why would we not expect it to on a societal level?
But that is very much my emerging theory and I really would encourage people to let us know what they've heard from the people in their local communities. Certainly researchers always want more data points, so yes, the question is open.
P.S. Rhiannon will be joining me along with co-host Glen Scrivener and special guests for the ‘Responding To The Rebirth’ Conference in London on Sat 22 Nov 2025. Save the date! Ticketing coming soon.
Watch the interview here:
Read the ‘Quiet Revival’ research in full at: biblesociety.org.uk/research
Learn more about ‘The Surprising Rebirth of Belief In God’ via my book and podcast series.
I’ve received many encouraging messages about the Surprising Rebirth Podcast in the past month, including this one:
“Great pacing, an array of speakers and options. Coupled with Justin's thoughtful commentary and you get beautifully crafted brain food and a spiritual uplift. Something rare and precious.”
Bicwyzer, podcast listener
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.
Former 'new atheist' Ayaan Hirsi Ali shocked the world when she announced her conversion to Christianity in 2023.
Hirsi Ali recently spoke with Dr James Orr for a Trinity Forum Cambridge event about her new faith, her concerns about radicalisation at top Universities, and the need to educate young people about Christianity.
Hirsi Ali's story has become a significant milestone in the 'Surprising Rebirth' phenomenon. But does Ayaan see a similar rebirth among her peers? And how does she respond to criticism of her own conversion being 'political'?
I was present to ask such questions of Ayaan during the Q&A, and also spoke to some young converts among the audience about their reflections on the rebirth of interest in Christianity.
Watch the event on the YouTube link above, or the full podcast episode through your favourite podcast provider!
Is the tide of faith coming back in on our post-Christian culture?
I speak on why the search to make sense of human existence, human value and human purpose are pointing many people back towards God.
This talk recaps my 'Surprising Rebirth' thesis. Recorded at First Baptist Church Garland, Dallas in 2024, along with Q&A from the audience.
Watch on the YouTube link above, or listen through your favourite podcast provider!
Agnostic philosopher Philip Goff has been on a 'surprising rebirth' journey recently. After announcing his embrace of a 'slightly heretical' form of Christianity, he says he has come to believe in a God of limited power.
Renowned Christian philosopher William Lane Craig engages Goff in a conversation on the universe, suffering and Christian faith, as they debate whether a 'limited' God makes sense of science, philosophy and the resurrection.
After hosting the conversation, I was joined by Peter Byrom for post-debate reflections on what happened during the spirited dialogue between the two philosophers.
This episode will be released next week, but you can watch and listen right now, by becoming a silver or gold level supporter!
The role of the Christian writer has changed dramatically over the past 100 years and I believe we are once again in a season of transition. If I am right, what might that mean for Christians who want to write more widely than exclusively for the Christian market?
This evening will consist of an interview between the Association of Christian Writers and myself, and additional questions are strongly encouraged from all present (moderated via the chat, in order to protect privacy as this event will be recorded). So come prepared!
This event, tonight (1 April) at 7:30pm UK time, is open to anyone, with a 50% discount for members of ACW. Book here!
I had a great interview on the Amazing Academics YouTube channel recently! Sharing why I am still a Christian even after 20 years of talking to atheists (including Richard Dawkins!) and getting grilled on a huge range of questions and topics, including morality, suffering, and the meaning of life!
I’ve received many encouraging messages about the Surprising Rebirth Podcast in the past month, including this one:
“Great pacing, an array of speakers and options. Coupled with Justin's thoughtful commentary and you get beautifully crafted brain food and a spiritual uplift. Something rare and precious.”
Bicwyzer, podcast listener
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!
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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.
Best wishes from me and the Think Faith team!
Justin Brierley.
A "vibe shift" is underway. Trump's re-election and the gains of populist parties internationally have reinvigorated the right wing. So is the 'surprising rebirth' in religious circles just the manifestation of the new political vibe?
In this opening two-parter of Season 2 of the award-winning The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God documentary podcast, I grab the bull by both horns and respond to a key objection to my thesis (first posed by Alex O'Connor) examining the rise of popular right wing politics in secular and religious circles!
Parts one and two have now been released, so go ahead and listen either by clicking on the YouTube players above, or through your favourite podcast provider!
Former 'new atheist' Ayaan Hirsi Ali shocked the world when she announced her conversion to Christianity in 2023.
Hirsi Ali recently spoke with Dr James Orr for a Trinity Forum Cambridge event about her new faith, her concerns about radicalisation at top Universities, and the need to educate young people about Christianity.
Hirsi Ali's story has become a significant milestone in the 'Surprising Rebirth' phenomenon. But does Ayaan see a similar rebirth among her peers? And how does she respond to criticism of her own conversion being 'political'?
I was present to ask such questions of Ayaan during the Q&A.
This interview will be released on 25 March, but you can watch the video (or listen to the podcast episode) right now, by becoming a silver or gold level supporter!
Join me for a day of teaching and discussion at ReEquip, in the beautiful Yarnton Manor in Oxford on 28 March, as we dive into the fascinating resurgence of belief in God in a world often seen as increasingly secular.
I will be unpacking the cultural, philosophical, and personal factors leading to a renewed openness to faith.
Join us for 3 sessions and a Q&A as well as lunch and refreshments.
I’ve received many encouraging messages about the Surprising Rebirth Podcast in the past month, including this one:
“Great pacing, an array of speakers and options. Coupled with Justin's thoughtful commentary and you get beautifully crafted brain food and a spiritual uplift. Something rare and precious.”
Bicwyzer, podcast listener
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.
Join me for a day of teaching and discussion at ReEquip, in the beautiful Yarnton Manor in Oxford on 28 March, as we dive into the fascinating resurgence of belief in God in a world often seen as increasingly secular.
I will be unpacking the cultural, philosophical, and personal factors leading to a renewed openness to faith.
Join us for 3 sessions and a Q&A as well as lunch and refreshments.
Is the rebirth of belief in God a right wing phenomenon?
A "vibe shift" is underway. Trump's re-election and the gains of populist parties internationally have reinvigorated the right wing. So is the 'surprising rebirth' in religious circles just the manifestation of the new political vibe?
In this opening two-parter of Season 2 of the award-winning The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God documentary podcast, I grab the bull by both horns and respond to a key objection to my thesis (first posed by Alex O'Connor) examining the rise of popular right wing politics in secular and religious circles!
Parts one and two will release publicly on 11 and 18 March, but you can listen to the whole episode - both parts - right now by becoming a silver or gold level supporter!
Jo Swinney is director of communications for the Christian environmental conservation charity A Rocha International.
Jo's parents Miranda and Peter Harris were the founders of A Rocha. Miranda's tragic death in 2019 was a shock to all those who knew her. Jo’s book A Place At The Table: Faith, hope and hospitality pairs her own words with writings she discovered of her mother’s to celebrate her life and to explore how sharing food is at the heart of a shared life.
Belle Tindall and I heard about the events that led up to Jo writing the book and how we can re-enchant the gift of hospitality in an increasingly lonely world. Watch or listen here!
Check out my interview on EWTN Great Britain, about how new dialogues, cultural shifts and thinkers like Jordan Peterson are shaping conversations about God, meaning and morality.
I’ve received many encouraging messages about the Surprising Rebirth Podcast in the past month, including this one:
“Great pacing, an array of speakers and options. Coupled with Justin's thoughtful commentary and you get beautifully crafted brain food and a spiritual uplift. Something rare and precious.”
Bicwyzer, podcast listener
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.
Is the rebirth of belief in God a right wing phenomenon?
A "vibe shift" is underway. Trump's re-election and the gains of populist parties internationally have reinvigorated the right wing. So is the 'surprising rebirth' in religious circles just the manifestation of the new political vibe?
In this opening two-parter of Season 2 of the award-winning The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God documentary podcast, I grab the bull by both horns and respond to a key objection to my thesis (first posed by Alex O'Connor) examining the rise of popular right wing politics in secular and religious circles!
Parts one and two will release publicly on 11 and 18 March, but you can listen to the whole episode - both parts - right now by becoming a silver or gold level supporter!
I’ve received many encouraging messages about the Surprising Rebirth Podcast in the past month, including this one:
“Great pacing, an array of speakers and options. Coupled with Justin's thoughtful commentary and you get beautifully crafted brain food and a spiritual uplift. Something rare and precious.”
Bicwyzer, podcast listener
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.
It’s been so gratifying and humbling to discover that Season 1 of The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God has been downloaded over a million times! People are listening, and something is definitely happening in our culture!
Season 2 will be starting very soon, kicking off with a deep dive into the question of whether or not the Rebirth is “right wing”!
Episode 1 will drop on March 11th, but supporters can listen a fortnight early, on February 25th!
Re-enchanting is back for season six! Join me, Belle and a host of guests as they explore how Christianity can re-enchant culture, politics, the arts, the sciences, history, and so much more. Season four starts tomorrow, with episodes from Les Isaac, Rupert Shortt, Dame Sue Black plus many more.
Watch on Youtube, or listen to on your favourite podcast platform!
Carolyn Morris-Collier writes in The Gospel Coalition that the days are long gone when it was embarassing to be a Christian in academia! Is the Rebirth happening here?
Katherine Brown of The Evangelical Alliance thinks that 2025 could be the easiest year yet for sharing faith. She quotes my saying that there has been "a surprising rebirth of belief in God" – and throughout 2024 this showed up in unexpected places.
Thomas Casemore of The Catholic Herald thinks 2025 could prove a breakout year for Christian media!
In this conversation with Joe Reilly, we talked about my thesis, the sliding scale of faith, - that whilst many may see the merits in the story of the Bible, it’s a far way from accepting it - and we also discussed the issue of head vs. heart when approaching the problem of God, the potential origins of Islam, the burden of intellect, and whether Richard Dawkins is right in diagnosing Anglicanism. All that and so much more!
I’ve received many encouraging messages about the Surprising Rebirth Podcast in the past month, including this one:
“This goes down as the best podcast of the year for me. The range of scholarship given here, delivered accessibly, and the book that goes with it; anyone involved in teaching about Religion and Philosophy should be familiar with it.”
Savvas Costi, theology & philosophy teacher
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.
Notre-Dame, Paris
When weeping Parisians watched Notre Dame, the city’s beloved 800-year-old cathedral, being consumed by a devastating fire in 2019, it served as a sad symbol of the decimation of churchgoing itself in France. Ever since revolutionaries began decapitating priests and nuns in the 1790s, a precipitous decline in Catholic faith has been underway in the country. The ‘Last Supper’ debacle of last summer’s Olympic opening ceremony only served to cement the country’s famously secular reputation.
However last December, against all odds, the bells of Notre Dame rang out again in time for Christmas. A remarkable reconstruction project has seen a transformed cathedral rise from the ashes. Its stained glass windows and original stones now glow luminously after centuries of grime were removed, and the building was packed with worshippers over the festive season. Perhaps, if God exists, he enjoys surprising us.
An even more remarkable story seems to be unfolding within France’s Catholic church itself. Over 7,000 adults were baptised during the 2024 Easter vigil, a rise of 32 per cent on the previous year. It was the largest intake of adult converts in France in living memory, and notably included many young people – over a third of the converts were aged 18-25. The trend looks set to continue into next year.
At Easter 2024, I wrote an article for The Spectator titled ‘A Christian revival is underway in Britain,’ which was widely shared online. I noted that an increasing number of secular influencers such as Tom Holland, Jordan Peterson and Joe Rogan were persuading their audiences to reconsider the value of Christianity. Many who read the article were also encouraged by several recent conversion stories – former atheist Ayaan Hirsi Ali, comedian Russell Brand, and author Paul Kingsnorth have all been public about coming to faith.
I argued that these were all early signs of a ‘turning of the tide’ against the materialist story of reality that currently dominates the godless West. However, many critics accused me of naive over-confidence. My evidence was purely anecdotal. A few high-profile converts and social media influencers were hardly likely to make a dent in the terminal decline of Christianity in the UK.
At first glance, their scepticism is justified. According to the most recent UK census, less than half of people now identify as ‘Christian,’ and the unremitting downward trend in Anglican churchgoing has been noted for years on end. Except for last year.
In 2023, the number of people attending Church of England services actually increased by 5 per cent to almost a million regular worshippers. Admittedly, attendance remains lower than pre-Covid figures, but this post-pandemic bounce back is still a noteworthy contrast to the relentless decline of the previous 50 years.
In fact, the past year has yielded numerous data points that indicate the optimistic thesis of my book and podcast The Surprising Rebirth Of Belief in God may not be wishful thinking after all.
Alongside the recent upturn for Catholics in France and Anglicans in the UK is the remarkable growth of the Eastern Orthodox Church, especially in the USA. The denomination has always been relatively small in America, largely composed of expatriate communities. Yet, a recent survey by the Orthodox Studies Institute showed a 62 per cent increase in baptisms and chrismations, where new members are welcomed into the church, between 2021-2023 compared to the previous three years.
Orthodox priest Father Andrew Stephen Damick says that these figures reflect countless stories he has heard of new converts entering the church. Asked whether the astonishing influx reflects a new evangelistic strategy, he laughingly responds: “The Orthodox Church has done nothing to bring these people in.” He quotes a colleague who insists: “We haven’t changed anything to make this happen. It’s just happening.”
So where exactly are all these new converts and attendees coming from?
Again, my hunch is that a ‘meaning crisis’ has been brewing in the West for a long time. The loss of the Christian story as an overarching narrative has led to the rise of ‘expressive individualism’ – a term coined by philosopher Charles Taylor for the vast variety of stories individuals now choose to live their lives by.
However, in recent years these stories have increasingly bumped up against each other in our never-ending culture wars. Now, a generation of millennials and Gen Zs, exhausted by the demands of constant self-invention, are looking for a better story to make sense of their life.
Encouraged by a set of prominent video and podcast hosts, the search for a story is leading some of them back to church. Some of these converts are doubtless ex-evangelicals choosing to swap tribes, but Orthodox and Catholic churches can also thank hugely influential YouTubers like Jonathan Pageau and Bishop Robert Barron for an uptick of genuinely new believers in their congregations.
Again, recent research seems to bear out the hypothesis that a younger generation is looking for meaning in the Christian story once more.
The Bible Society in England and Wales has been uncovering evidence suggestive of a new ‘openness’ to faith among many groups of the population. The proportion of non-Christians who now appear ‘warm’ to spirituality and the value of scripture has increased notably in recent years. Rhiannon McAleer, head of research at Bible Society, has given these seekers the avatars of ‘Stoic Steve’ and ‘Meditation Millie’ – young, intelligent, and successful, they nevertheless feel disillusioned by the materialist culture around them. Seeking guidance from a variety of sources, some have become aware of the Bible’s cultural importance and are increasingly turning to the ancient wisdom of scripture as a guide to life.
A surge in Bible sales during 2024 seems to support the findings of McAleer’s research. While the general book market remained flat, sales of the Bible rose by an astonishing 22 per cent in the USA.
Perhaps most surprising of all is the fact that Gen Z (born 1997-2012), the generation least likely to be found in church, are nevertheless the most receptive to spirituality. They have been dubbed ‘the open generation.’ You only have to look on TikTok to see how this openness is often expressed. From ‘Manifesting’ to ‘WitchTok,’ there are all kinds of esoteric supernatural beliefs being practised.
However, for a generation that isn’t carrying the religious baggage of its parents and grandparents, there is also a remarkable openness to Christianity.
Three-quarters of non-Christian students say that, if asked, they would accept an invitation to church. That’s according to Fusion, a Christian student organisation that surveyed thousands of students across UK campuses. Roscoe Crawley helped to compile the research. He says that Fusion’s staff teams have been encountering ‘unprecedented’ numbers of students coming to faith and beginning to attend church in the past two years.
Which leads us to another unexpected trend. Young men are starting to become more religious than women.
The typical gender split in most congregations has always been one third male to two thirds female. However, The New York Times reported in September that, for the first time, more Gen Z men are now attending church than their female counterparts in the USA. The same phenomenon has since been recorded in Australia, where 39 per cent of Gen Z men now identify as Christian compared to 28 per cent of women. This demographic flip has never been seen before, yet it mirrors recent findings in Finland which showed a more than doubling of young men in churches between 2011-2019. Likewise, the boom in Orthodox parishes is being led by young male converts. Many Anglo-Catholic, evangelical, and charismatic churches are seeing the same thing.
Anglican minister Glen Scrivener told me of an encounter with one such millennial male who turned up ‘out of the blue’ at his church. The young man explained that he had become convinced that Christianity was the bedrock of British culture. He had decided to purchase a Bible (the King James Version) and try out his local church.
“So how long have you been on the ‘Tom Holland train’?” asked Glen.
The man looked confused. “What’s Spider-Man got to do with it?”
The bewildered response was evidence that neither Tom Holland (the historian, not the Marvel actor) nor any individual influencer is single-handedly responsible for the new appreciation of Christianity. Holland’s thesis that the West owes its moral foundations to Christianity is fast becoming a widespread belief.
Naturally, if there is a rebirth underway then it will throw up all kinds of complications. I’ve no doubt that a reaction against ‘woke’ identity-politics is among the factors involved in this trend, especially among young men who are growing more conservative than young women. The same forces that put Donald Trump back in the White House may also be responsible for sending men back to church.
Likewise, there are those who want to bring back ‘cultural Christianity’ for a political agenda. Writer Carolyn Morris-Collier pithily summarises the danger, writing: “There’s a difference between Christianity and Christendom. While Tom Holland’s book Dominion makes a convincing case that Western values are rooted in Christian foundations, the reverse is not true. Christianity does not depend on Western civilisation—and is indeed flowering throughout the Global South.”
Whatever the political dimension of this rebirth, churches who wish to receive a new wave of meaning seekers will need to find a way of transcending the usual political fault lines and offering something more substantive than a cultural Christianity co-opted for a conservative revival.
It will be some years before we know for sure whether a coming revival is underway. Big-picture transitions tend to emerge over decades. But what can’t be denied is that something is happening. Many Christian leaders have noticed something happening in their churches and in the wider culture. There had been a change in the atmosphere. It had become easier to have conversations about faith. New visitors were walking into their buildings. In particular, young men have been showing up, often looking for a stability, identity, and rule of life that isn’t on offer in the wider world.
Significantly, many of the church leaders I have heard from reported unprecedented numbers attending their Easter and Christmas services in 2024. While a ‘revival’ may still be some way off, I feel confident enough to predict that we will also hear about unprecedented numbers of people attending those same services this year.
Notre Dame isn’t the only ancient church with a story of rebirth to tell. How many will follow in years to come?
Justin Brierley
Article first published in The Spectator. (Christmas 2024)
The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God Season 1 is complete! 30 episodes, totalling 48 hours of podcast listening!
Did you miss any episodes? Or do you know of friends, family or colleagues who may be interested in listening? You, and they, can now binge the whole thing from start to finish!
“What a podcast! This has to be the most thought provoking podcast on the internet. I have so enjoyed listening and learning. What I like is the two sided view of Christianity, which enables you to decide what side you wish to believe.
When I conclude the series I know I'm going to start again because there is so much to take on board.
Just excellent.“
Mark from Cambridge, UK
The podcast is available on all podcast platforms such as Apple Podcasts & Spotify (including, most recently YouTube Music!)
Or you can begin here, on the podcast page of my website!
P.S. I’ve been hugely encouraged by the number of people with and without faith getting in touch to say how much the podcast has impacted their journey. We are already in the process of creating Season 2 for 2025. If you can help me to cover our production costs by supporting Think Faith, I would be so grateful!
I’ve received many encouraging messages about the Surprising Rebirth Podcast in the past month, including this one:
“This goes down as the best podcast of the year for me. The range of scholarship given here, delivered accessibly, and the book that goes with it; anyone involved in teaching about Religion and Philosophy should be familiar with it.”
Savvas Costi, theology & philosophy teacher
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.
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