A surprising spiritual shift is taking place among young people in the United Kingdom. According to a recent YouGov poll, belief in God among 16- to 24-year-olds has more than doubled since 2021, from 16% to 37%. At the same time, atheism within the same age group has fallen sharply, from 49% to just 32%.
This trend, while less pronounced, is also seen in adults aged 25 to 49, with belief in God rising slightly and atheism declining. Though the poll did not specify religious affiliation, church leaders are encouraged by the results. Rt. Rev. Jill Duff, Bishop of Lancaster, attributes this change to a renewed spiritual hunger, especially among youth seeking truth and meaning in a post-COVID world. “These numbers reflect what we are seeing in churches,” she said. “There’s a spiritual awakening happening.”
A separate study by the Bible Society found that monthly church attendance among young adults has quadrupled since 2018.
