Bible sales in the UK nearly doubled between 2019 and 2024, while attendance among young churchgoers jumped fourfold over the past six years, new data revealed Sunday. The surge reflects a spiritual renaissance fueled by societal instability.
According to YouGov and the Bible Society’s Quiet Revival report, two million more worshippers attended church services in 2024 than in 2018. Among Gen Z, those aged 18 to 24, church attendance rose from 4 percent to 16 percent—a remarkable quadrupling.
Meanwhile, Nielsen BookScan figures show Bible sales soared from £2.69 million in 2019 to £5.02 million in 2024, indicating a resurgence of interest in scripture across the UK.
Church leaders say the trend is no surprise. Cardinal Vincent Nichols, 79, and Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, 66, attribute the revival to global crises and cultural shifts. Issues such as the wars in Gaza and Ukraine, immigration challenges, poverty, and changes in laws on assisted dying and abortion have driven more young people back to faith in search of stability and meaning.
The figures coincide with a similar revival across the Atlantic: Christian and gospel music is experiencing surging popularity in the United States. Luminate’s 2025 Midyear Report shows global on-demand audio streams reached 2.5 trillion in the first half of 2025, up from 2.29 trillion in the same period in 2024. In the U.S., streams rose to 696.6 billion from 665.8 billion.
Overall growth in streaming has moderated, but Christian and gospel music defied trends. The genre ranked just behind rock, Latin, and country in popularity, as people seek to reconnect with their faith through music. Luminate executive Jaime Marconette noted that audiences are increasingly drawn to gospel content amid cultural and economic uncertainty.
Church leaders see this moment as a major spiritual renewal among younger Britons and Americans alike. The doubling of Bible sales and quadrupling of youth church attendance mark this as one of the most significant religious shifts in recent memory—a quiet revival driven by global upheaval and generational searching.
