Christianity Is Coming Back to Life in the UK

For as long as I can remember, the Christian religion has only moved in one direction in British life — toward the periphery. The Church of England’s pews have emptied and aged. The religious establishment has preached the most anodyne form of faith possible (try listening to the BBC Radio 4’s “God slot”, “thought for the day”, at 7:47 every morning). Though the King Charles III is formally head of the Church of England, and bishops sit in the House of Lords, this has had the paradoxical effect of neutering religion: Politicians who have actual power resolutely insist that “we don’t do God,” in the words of Alastair Campbell, press secretary of former prime minister Tony Blair.

Yet there are signs that things are beginning to change. A survey commissioned by the Bible Society found a quadrupling of church attendance by young adults, from 4% in 2018 to 16% now. Several prominent public figures such as Tom Holland — the author not the actor — and Ayaan Hirsi Ali have talked publicly about their Christian faith. The Tory MP Danny Kruger “did God” by delivering an impassioned speech to the House of Commons calling for a “Christian restoration.” Britain was founded on the Christian faith, Kruger insisted, and needed to revive its founding spirit. (Shortly after his speech Kruger abandoned the Tories for the more right-wing Reform party.) Worryingly, several protesters on a recent march in London, organized by the far-right activist Tommy Robinson, carried crosses and chanted “Christ is King.”