22 January 2026

There have been two interesting surveys conducted recently. The first was called, ‘Grateful Britain’ and it was undertaken by the Policy Institute of King’s College, London. In October 2025, 2050 people were surveyed. Their belief in God and experience of transcendence were plotted.

There were some interesting results from young people. About one quarter of the total sample (27%) said that they had an experience of awe and wonder at the universe or in nature at least once  a week. This rose to 36% for the youngest group of people (18-34 year olds).

The study also found out something remarkable about belief in God. 51% of the 18-34 age group was most likely to say that they believed in God  to some extent. This compared with 33% of 35-49 year olds, 30% of 35-49 year olds, 30% of 50-64 year olds and 41% of people aged 65-plus.

The second survey was undertaken by SPCK, the Christian publisher. It found that the total sales of Bibles in the UK  came to £6.3 million. This is more than twice as much as 2019 sales.  Sam Richardson, Chief Executive of SPCK, said:

‘This is evidence of a significant cultural shift regarding matters of faith and religion in this country: as we face worldwide political and social change, the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic, global wars, the rise of AI and a growing mental health crisis, individuals are re-engaging with meaning and spirituality.’

‘The heavens are telling the glory of God and the firmament proclaims his handiwork.’ sings the Psalmist. ‘Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.’ God is to be found in his Creation and his Word enlightens. Both generate experiences of awe and wonder and thereby lift our spirits and fill us with joy!

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