A prominent British author and podcaster believes his country may be experiencing a renaissance, and says both research and anecdotes support his claims.
Author of this book: Justin Brierley An amazing revival of faith in God the host of the podcast of the same name makes the claim in a new column. audience “A Christian revival is underway in England.”Brierley previously hosted the popular TV show can’t believe it? Podcast.
He cited multiple anecdotes and famous stories about faiths from around the world.
“Writer and poet Paul Kingsnorth surprised readers by announcing his conversion in 2021,” Brierley wrote. “Russell Brand now calls himself a Christian and says he intends to be baptized. [Former new atheist] Ayaan Hirsi Ali said he embraced Christianity after realizing he was “spiritually bankrupt.” Technology pioneer Jordan Hall recently announced his conversion to Christianity. Importantly, both Ayaan Hirsi Ali and Jordan Hall have mentioned its influence. Tom Holland’s theory that Christianity is the basis of Western ethics. ”
Additionally, “influencers like Joe Rogan and Douglas Murray are increasingly speaking out about the value of the Christian faith and the dangers of abandoning it,” Brierley wrote.
“Ever since she wrote her book, women’s rights activist Louise Perry has advocated for a return to traditional Christian morality.” Arguments against the sexual revolution,” he wrote. “Evolutionary biologist Bret Weinstein often describes religion as ‘metaphorically true.’ Secular psychologists such as Jonathan Haidt and John Verbeik have written extensively about the value of faith in the midst of the Western world’s “crisis of meaning.”
“Another important voice speaking about Christian values is psychologist Jordan Peterson. In November I attended his lecture at the O2 Arena,” he added. “As he always did, he taught the Bible as a source of deep wisdom about the human condition to a large audience of mostly young people.”
Mr Brierley mentioned the night’s Evensong church service he attended with Holland at St Bartholomew the Great, London’s oldest church.
“In contrast to the usual aging demographics of many Anglican churches, St. Bart’s congregation appears to be comprised primarily of young professionals, both male and female,” he wrote. “I noticed that there were famous politicians among the congregation. I also heard that famous depressed rock stars have been frequenting the church recently.”
To be fair, Brierley pointed out that Peterson and others do not believe the Bible is true. But Brierley said he saw signs that God was “moving in the hearts and minds of secular intellectuals.”
“Many of them seem to have recognized that secular humanism has failed and, contrary to their expectations, are willing to embrace faith instead,” he wrote.
Holland himself has now embraced his faith and believes he is praying for the cancer to disappear from his body.
Brierley acknowledges that most data does not support his claims of resurrection. But he cited a Finnish study showing that “church attendance among men aged 18 to 29 more than doubled between 2011 and 2019.”
“A similar trend applies to their prayer habits and belief in God. This statistic may just be a strange anomaly (this has not been recorded in other Nordic countries), or It could be the canary in the coal mine.”
God “moves in mysterious ways,” he wrote.
“As a Christian, I believe that the dead can come back to life,” Brierley wrote. “That, after all, is the point of this story.” GK Chesterton wrote, “Christianity has died and risen again and again, for there is no way out of the grave. For there was a God who knew.”
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Michael Faust has covered the intersection of faith and news for 20 years. His story was published in Baptist Press. Christianity Today, Christian Poecent, of leaf chronicle, of toronto star and of knoxville news sentinel.
