by Tola Mbakwe
A Christian researcher has said new polling, which suggests many Britons still value the country’s Christian heritage, should encourage believers to speak more confidently about their faith.
Andrew Hawkins, chief executive of polling firm Whitestone Insight, said the findings show Christianity continues to resonate with the public, even as fewer people identify as Christian.
The survey of more than 2,000 adults found 52 per cent believe Britain risks moral decline if its Christian roots are ignored. Meanwhile, 58 per cent said Christianity still has something positive to offer in how the country is governed.
Hawkins told news outlet Premier Christian News the results should give Christians confidence to share the gospel with others.
“Churches and Christians need to have the confidence from this survey of knowing that Christianity has cast a very long shadow, in a positive sense, over British society,” he said.
“And going and speaking to our non-Christian neighbours, or people of any other faith, is something which is very often to be welcomed.”
He said Britain has experienced a steady decline in the number of people identifying as Christian over the past three decades, alongside growing concerns about social division and a loss of shared moral understanding.
“In the last 35 years or so, the proportion who define as Christian has just about halved,” Hawkins said. “At the same time, there’s been a growing sense that society is fragmented and that institutions have been damaged.”
Hawkins said the research suggests many people still recognise the moral foundations Christianity has given to Western society, even if they do not personally identify with the faith.
He pointed to principles such as moral equality, protection of the vulnerable and freedom of conscience as ideas rooted in Christianity that continue to shape public life. Those values, he said, have historically influenced institutions including hospitals, schools and universities.
The polling also indicates younger generations may be more open to Christianity’s influence than previously assumed.
The research shows people aged between 35 and 64 were the most sceptical about Christianity’s role in strengthening society, while younger adults showed greater openness to the idea of objective moral values.
The results came ahead of a conference in Oxford this week examining the possibility of a Christian revival in the UK.
While many have pointed to what has been described as a “quiet revival” in the UK with church attendance on the rise, Hawkins said it remains to be seen whether increased curiosity about Christianity will translate into long-term discipleship. He believes the key message for Christians is to engage thoughtfully and confidently in conversations about faith and society.
“People are often not aware of the contribution Christianity has made to the world around us,” he said. “When they understand that contribution, it does make them sit up and take notice.”
