The lead researcher behind the “Quiet Revival” report, published by the Bible Society of England and Wales in April 2025 and showing an upsurge of interest in Christianity in secular society, has defended the robust methodology behind the findings and said the data reflected observations made by individual churches.
In an exclusive interview with Christian Daily International, Rhiannon McAleer, Director of Research and Impact at the Bible Society, spoke of her research team’s surprise and delight at the outcome of the study. She also defended the conclusions of the survey as a result of the methods used to capture the data.
“Our data is robust,” said McAleer. “YouGov has continued to back it. They are standing by it and so are we.”
McAleer said she had yet to see an alternative methodological explanation she found convincing enough to interpret the data differently. Other datasets had also supported the broader picture reflected in the Bible Society’s findings, she said.
“We welcome open and genuine dialogue, but we do call for fair standards to be applied,” said McAleer. “There’s sometimes a bit of methodological sleight of hand where people criticize our methods but not the methods of other datasets they are using to criticize us.
“Social research always has gray zones around it, and it’s important as researchers that we’re honest about all of those. But we are confident — if not more confident — in the general trend that this survey has picked up over the year.”
McAleer recalled her surprise at the findings, although she said the research team had been hearing from churches on the ground for about a year to 18 months prior to commissioning the survey.
“That was suggesting a bit of a shift in the spiritual atmosphere — hearing more about people just turning up to churches, young men coming through, and people saying the nature of being able to have conversations beyond the church was a bit different than it had been pre-COVID.”
However, McAleer said the team had not expected the renewed interest in the Christian faith to “come through with such strength in the data.”
“When you get a surprising result in statistics, you really check the data,” explained McAleer. “So we went back to YouGov, who were the agency that conducted the survey for us, and really checked that the methodology was robust and that there was no methodological issue with the new data we had.”
When the team presented the report publicly, they felt overwhelmed by the far-reaching response, which exceeded their expectations.
“We were, of course, delighted by that. I think the most remarkable thing has been the amount of feedback we have had from churches on the ground who have said, ‘This absolutely resonates with what we were seeing — we thought it was just us — to see it’s happening elsewhere…’ and that has really changed how people feel about the place of Christianity today.”
McAleer said the notable outcomes have led to further lessons about the nature of the “changing missional moment” emerging from those conversations. It has also sparked interest among other researchers in Europe, who are reporting similar shifts in interest toward the Christian faith.
“The U.S. is a little bit different, with different dynamics,” said McAleer, “so we don’t want to draw too many comparisons. But it has generated this huge conversation, and, of course, it’s been contested as well. What is the nature of faith in modern Europe today?”
McAleer declined to say whether Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson’s widely reported influence on young men had contributed to increased interest in Christianity among that demographic. She described it as “a fascinating question,” but said it was unlikely that one person alone could explain the trend, instead reflecting a broader “soil that is growing lots of different things” that manifests in various ways.
“I think many young men in Britain and around the wider world are discontented. We see a crisis in men’s mental health, and we also see shifts in the secular world in how some young men are behaving — around things like gym culture, an interest in stoicism, a search for discipline, and healthier lifestyles. You can see it in lots of places — people trying to find new ways of living that lead to flourishing — and, of course, Jordan Peterson is tapping into that desire as well.
“It doesn’t surprise me that in that atmosphere some people would find fulfillment in church. It is particularly interesting in our dataset that when we look at non-churchgoers, we asked them, ‘Are you interested in learning more about the Bible?’ Young adults were more likely than any other age group to say yes, but particularly young men who aren’t currently going to church.
“And I do wonder if there is a Peterson effect there — of course, he’s one of the mass popularizers of the Bible.”
However, McAleer said there are other influences, pointing out that footballers and musicians in the U.K. are increasingly open about their faith. They are not necessarily being evangelistic but are living authentically and not hiding their spirituality, she added.
“I think there’s a trickle-down effect of that changing atmosphere where it’s a lot easier to talk about faith. In our dataset we have a question asking, ‘To what extent would you agree or disagree that it’s a positive thing for Christians to talk about their faith with non-Christians?’ Again, young adults were most likely to agree with that.”
Challenges remain, however, including younger people’s distrust of the institutional church.
“But this idea of being proud of your faith really does seem to be a generational shift that trickles down into social media and how Christians present themselves there,” McAleer said.
“So I think there are lots of things going on for certain, and it’s important to hold what’s happening in the church within that wider context if we are to meet that need well.”
So, does the increase in interest in Christianity mean churches will see a large rise in numbers? McAleer said it is too early to say, but noted reports from church leaders that “people are just turning up” — sometimes through spontaneous feelings to attend church or spiritual experiences such as dreams. This is unusual in the white British population but, according to McAleer, “we’ve heard it a lot.”
Another factor is social media, with church leaders reporting that people — especially young men — are turning up “half-formed,” having already begun reading the Bible after being encouraged by online algorithms, including podcasts focused on spirituality.
“The other thing we see is the importance of relationships, with people more likely to follow recommendations from loved ones to read the Bible than from celebrities,” added McAleer.
