Amidst an evolving religious landscape, a recent survey sheds light on the spiritual inclinations of younger Britons, revealing a notable openness to transcendental experiences and gratitude towards God.
The study, titled “Grateful Britain?” and carried out by the Policy Institute of King’s College London in partnership with Opinium, surveyed 2,050 British adults last October.
The findings show that more than a quarter (27%) of participants regularly experience a “profound awe or wonder at the universe or nature,” with the figure rising to 38% among religious respondents and 36% among the younger demographic of 18 to 34-year-olds. Notably, 12% of those surveyed claimed they never encounter such feelings.
When questioned about a sense of connection to “all people or living things” weekly, 22% affirmed this experience, while 24% reported never feeling this way.
A majority of respondents (54%) had at least once felt “personally guided or watched over by something or someone,” though 32% stated they never had such an experience. This percentage increased to 47% among non-religious individuals.
Regarding belief in a “guiding purpose in life,” 53% agreed, contrasted with 31% who disagreed.
On the subject of gratitude for life’s joys, 22% of participants often felt “suddenly and deeply thankful to be alive” weekly, with the percentage climbing to 36% among those aged 18 to 34.
When asked to specify their gratitude’s focus, 34% cited nature, followed by other people and their inner selves at 31% each, while 28% mentioned God. Among the younger age group, 42% expressed gratitude to God.
The authors of the report exercised caution regarding claims of a potential “quiet revival” within British Christianity, especially among younger adults. They referenced a YouGov tracker indicating that belief in God among 18 to 24-year-olds nearly doubled from 19% in 2022 to 37% in 2025, alongside a 2024 British Social Attitudes survey highlighting that 60% of 18 to 34-year-olds identify as non-religious, surpassing other age groups.
The report notes, “We get quite different indications of belief in larger, more expensive studies using random probability methods, rather than the opt-in panels typically used in polling.”
“This does not mean there are no shifts happening among the young. Part of the effect may be due to the changing composition of young people, particularly the increased ethnic and religious diversity among younger generations…
“While the reasons online samples may over-represent religious belief among young people are understandable (that it is an unusual population of young people who will want to join online panels), it is less clear why this has changed so markedly in such a short period of time: as recently as 2022, the YouGov tracker of belief in God showed nothing unusual in young people’s beliefs.”
Despite the report’s measured tone, anecdotal evidence suggests a revival may be underway in the country.
Dr. Michael Volland, the Bishop of Birmingham, shared with Church Times, “We are hearing from churches across the region and more widely that there are signs of a new openness to faith including — or even especially — from the younger generation.”
He further noted, “In my own diocese we are seeing young people arrive at churches with a desire to join in and find out more. They are hungry for faith, for meaning, for hope and to belong to a community that practises the radical, life-giving teaching of Jesus.”
A spokesman for the Bible Society, welcomed the findings, stating that it “seems vanishingly improbable that a rise in religious practice and belief in God could be accounted for simply by religious young people being more likely to join survey panels since 2022”.
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
