The Surprising Rebirth Of Belief In God Bonus Ep: The 'Quiet Revival' has been withdrawn... but the Rebirth isn't dead!
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Apr 2, 2026 The withdrawal of a high-profile survey sparks a look at what went wrong and how we should interpret faith data. The conversation surveys alternative indicators across Europe and the UK pointing to renewed interest in Christianity. It explores cultural reasons people are searching for meaning and warns against both confirmation bias and overcorrection.
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Quiet Revival Report Sparked Early Excitement
- The Quiet Revival report initially looked like strong evidence for a youth-led uptick in UK church attendance.
- Justin Brierley explains the report used YouGov polling from 2018–2024 and was widely shared before its credibility was questioned.
Quality Controls Failed Caused Retraction
- The report was withdrawn after Bible Society discovered YouGov failed to activate essential quality controls, contaminating the survey with bogus respondents.
- YouGov's CEO Stefan Shakespeare publicly apologized and took responsibility for the flawed data.
Check Methodology Before Amplifying Survey Claims
- Be cautious about accepting survey results that confirm what you hope to be true and check methodology before amplifying findings.
- Justin urges humility and introspection from Bible Society and calls for bridge-building with critics who raised valid concerns.