The Bible Society’s recent report, “Quiet Revival,” which suggested a significant return to church among Generation Z, has been retracted due to faulty data. This report had generated considerable attention with its claims of increasing church attendance following years of decline.
Commissioned by YouGov, the survey indicated a rise in church attendance from 8% in 2018 to 12% in 2024 among adults. The most notable increase was among men aged 18-24, with attendance purportedly growing from 4% to over 20%. However, these figures faced skepticism from various quarters.
David Robertson, a noted apologist, and other critics pointed out discrepancies between the report’s claims and existing data from the Church of England and the Catholic Church in England and Wales, which showed a decline in attendance during the same period. The Church Mouse, a respected blogger, expressed doubt, stating, “While Mouse would love to believe that people are flocking back to church, his instant reaction was that it simply didn’t fit with the data we have from every other reliable source.”
Social scientist David Voas from University College London observed that while there was a modest post-Covid recovery in church attendance, it did not reach pre-pandemic levels. In the United States, the Pew Research Center criticized the report’s reliance on “opt-in” surveys, which use participants who volunteer through advertisements or mailing lists, rather than randomized sampling.
Despite these critiques, the Bible Society initially defended its findings, claiming adherence to rigorous polling standards. However, they have since withdrawn the report after YouGov admitted to a data error, acknowledging that key quality controls were not activated during the survey process. Bible Society CEO Paul Williams expressed disappointment, noting, “We are therefore deeply disappointed that YouGov not only made an error but also that it only discovered this so recently.”
YouGov CEO Stephan Shakespeare took responsibility, stating, “YouGov take full responsibility for the outputs of the original 2024 research, and we apologise for what has happened.”
Looking forward, YouGov plans to repeat the study later this year, while the Bible Society intends to expand its research using various methodologies. The organization has released a new report, “The Quiet Revival one year on: what’s the story?”, emphasizing that some positive trends have emerged despite the flawed data.
The Bible Society noted an increased public discourse on Christianity, with greater Bible sales, more adult baptisms and confirmations, and heightened attendance at evangelism courses. They remarked on the shift from nominal Christianity to a more active faith, particularly among younger generations seeking identity and purpose.
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
