Young adults in Britain appear to be experiencing a heightened sense of gratitude and spirituality, according to a recent survey conducted by the Policy Institute of King’s College London. The study, undertaken by Opinium, gathered insights from 2,050 British adults in October.
The findings reveal that 27% of participants often feel a “profound awe or wonder at the universe or nature” weekly. This sentiment is even stronger among religious individuals (38%) and those aged 18 to 34 (36%). Conversely, 12% of respondents reported never experiencing such feelings.
When it comes to feeling a connection with others or nature, 22% of those surveyed feel this weekly, while 24% never do. Additionally, 54% have occasionally felt “personally guided or watched over,” a sentiment less common among non-religious individuals, with 47% of them never having such experiences.
Belief in a “guiding purpose in life” was affirmed by 53% of respondents, compared to 31% who disagreed. The feeling of being “suddenly and deeply thankful to be alive” weekly was reported by 22%, with the figure rising to 36% among the younger demographic of 18 to 34-year-olds.
Nature is a source of gratitude for 34% of people, while 31% express thankfulness towards others and themselves. Notably, 28% attribute their gratitude to God, with this number increasing to 42% among younger adults.
The survey authors express caution regarding claims of a “quiet revival” in British Christianity, especially among the youth. They cite a YouGov tracker that showed belief in God among 18 to 24-year-olds nearly doubling from 19% in 2022 to 37% in 2025. However, the 2024 British Social Attitudes survey indicates that 60% of 18 to 34-year-olds identify with no religion.
The authors note, “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.”
They add, “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 skepticism, anecdotal evidence suggests some revival is occurring. Dr. Michael Volland, 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.”
Volland continued, “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 Bible Society spokesperson welcomed the survey results, stating 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
