DescriptionSource-traced evidence report on Black Majority Churches and Pentecostal growth in the UK. Confidence ratings, claim tracker, and source-by-source breakdown. UK Black Demographics.

Black Majority Churches & British Christianity — Evidence Report 2024

Report type

Evidence review

Last updated

April 2026

Primary sources

ONS, NatCen BSA, Church of England, Peter Brierley / Faith Survey, Bible Society

Confidence scale

Black British communities — particularly those of Caribbean and West African heritage — are among the most religiously active populations in England and Wales. Christianity is the dominant faith, with Black adults significantly more likely than the general population to identify as Christian, to attend church regularly, and to describe religion as important to their daily lives.

The growth of Black Majority Churches (BMCs) — congregations where the majority of members are of Black African or Black Caribbean heritage — is one of the most significant developments in British Christianity since the 1980s. Pentecostal and charismatic denominations, many founded by or for African and Caribbean migrants and their descendants, now account for a substantial share of regular church attendance in England, particularly in London and other major cities.

However, the evidence base for specific quantitative claims about BMCs and Black Christian practice is uneven. The strongest evidence comes from the ONS Census 2021 (religion by ethnicity), the National Centre for Social Research British Social Attitudes (BSA) survey series, and the Church of England's own attendance statistics. The weakest evidence — and the most frequently cited in media coverage — comes from the Bible Society's

Quiet Revival

research programme, which has been subject to significant methodological criticism and whose YouGov-commissioned survey component has been questioned on grounds of sampling and question design.

This report traces the most commonly cited claims about Black British Christianity back to their original sources, assesses the confidence that can be placed in each claim, and flags where evidence has been withdrawn, disputed, or misrepresented in secondary reporting.

The table below lists the most commonly cited claims about Black British Christianity and Pentecostal growth, traces each to its original source, and assigns a confidence rating. Claims rated

should not be cited without direct verification of the original source.

Claim

Source

Confidence

Notes

Most reliable source for national-level religion by ethnicity data

The ONS Census 2021 (England and Wales) is the most reliable source for national-level data on religion by ethnicity. The relevant published table is

TS030 — Religion by ethnic group

, available via the ONS website and NOMIS.

Key findings from TS030 for Black or Black British adults:

Black African:

Approximately 73% identified as Christian in Census 2021. A further 14% identified as Muslim. Around 7% stated no religion.

Black Caribbean:

Approximately 65% identified as Christian. Around 20% stated no religion — a higher rate of non-religion than Black African adults, consistent with longer settlement in the UK and generational secularisation.

Black Other:

Approximately 60% identified as Christian.

All Black or Black British combined:

Approximately 70% identified as Christian, compared with 46% of the total England and Wales population.

The Census also shows that Black adults are significantly less likely than the general population to state "no religion" (approximately 15% vs 37% for the total population), and more likely to identify with a specific Christian denomination rather than simply "Christian."

Source verification:

ONS Census 2021 — Table TS030 (Religion by ethnic group). Available at: ons.gov.uk → Census 2021 → Topic summaries → Religion. Also available via NOMIS for local authority-level breakdowns. The table is publicly available and freely downloadable. No paywall.

Longitudinal survey — best source for trends in religious practice by ethnicity

The National Centre for Social Research (NatCen) British Social Attitudes (BSA) survey is an annual survey of social attitudes in Britain, running since 1983. It is the primary longitudinal source for trends in religious identification, belief, and practice in Britain.

The BSA includes questions on religious affiliation, attendance frequency, and the importance of religion in daily life. It includes ethnicity data, though ethnic minority sub-samples are relatively small in any single year — analysis of religion by ethnicity typically requires pooling multiple years of data.

Key findings relevant to Black British Christianity:

Black adults are consistently more likely than white British adults to report attending religious services at least monthly across BSA waves.

Black adults are more likely to describe themselves as belonging to a religion and to describe religion as important to their daily lives.

The long-run trend in the BSA shows declining religious identification and attendance across all ethnic groups, but the decline is less pronounced among Black adults than among white British adults.

Pentecostal and charismatic affiliation is disproportionately represented among Black respondents who identify as Christian.

NatCen British Social Attitudes — annual reports available at natcen.ac.uk/britsocat. The BSA dataset is also available via the UK Data Service (UKDS) for academic researchers. Religion-specific analysis is published in the BSA annual report and in academic papers by David Voas, Alasdair Crockett, and colleagues.

Most detailed source for denomination-level data — methodology requires scrutiny

Peter Brierley's UK Church Statistics series — now published under the Faith Survey brand — is the most detailed available source for denomination-level church attendance and congregation data in England. It is based on a census of churches conducted approximately every five years, supplemented by annual surveys.

Brierley's data is the primary source for claims about Pentecostal growth, Black Majority Church numbers, and the relative decline of mainline denominations. It is widely cited in academic literature, Church of England reports, and media coverage.

What the data shows:

Pentecostal churches have grown consistently as a share of total church attendance in England since the 1980s, while Anglican, Methodist, and United Reformed Church attendance has declined.

Black Majority Churches — defined by Brierley as congregations where more than 50% of members are of Black African or Black Caribbean heritage — have grown in number and total attendance, particularly in London and other major cities.

The most recent Brierley / Faith Survey data (2018–2023) shows that BMCs account for a significant share of total church attendance in London — estimates range from 25% to 40% depending on how BMC is defined and which denominations are included.

New church plants — many of them Pentecostal or charismatic, and many with majority Black congregations — are among the fastest-growing segment of the UK church landscape.

Methodological caveats:

Brierley's census relies on self-reporting by congregations. Response rates vary and some congregations — particularly newer, independent, and informal churches — may be undercounted.

The definition of "Black Majority Church" is not standardised across editions of UK Church Statistics. Comparisons across years should be treated cautiously.

Brierley's data covers England only in some editions and Great Britain in others. Scotland and Wales have separate church landscapes.

The Faith Survey data is not freely available — it is published in book form and via subscription. Journalists and researchers citing Brierley figures should verify the edition and year of the data being cited.

Peter Brierley / Faith Survey — UK Church Statistics series. Published by ADBC Publishers. The most recent edition covers 2018–2023. Available for purchase at faithsurvey.co.uk. The Church of England's Statistics for Mission (published annually, free) provides a complementary official source for Anglican attendance data.

Section 6

Bible Society —

Research Programme

YouGov survey component — methodological concerns. Do not cite without direct verification.

⚠ Methodological flag — Quiet Revival YouGov survey

The Bible Society's

The Bible Society launched the

research programme in 2023, commissioning YouGov to conduct a survey of religious attitudes and practice in England. The programme attracted significant media coverage, with headlines claiming that Christianity was experiencing a revival — particularly among young adults and Black and minority ethnic communities.

The methodological concerns are as follows:

Question wording:

The YouGov survey used question wording and response options that differ from the standard questions used in the BSA and ONS Census. This makes direct comparison with established trend data unreliable. In particular, questions about "engagement with Christianity" or "openness to faith" are not equivalent to questions about religious identification or attendance used in official statistics.

Online panel sampling:

YouGov uses an online panel methodology. While YouGov applies weighting to correct for demographic imbalances, online panels are known to oversample certain demographic groups and may not be representative of the full population on questions of religious practice.

Conflict with Census data:

The ONS Census 2021 — which is a full population census, not a sample survey — shows a clear and substantial decline in Christian identification between 2011 and 2021. The Quiet Revival findings are in direct tension with this data. Where the two conflict, the Census should be treated as the more reliable source.

Commissioning bias:

The research was commissioned by the Bible Society, an organisation with an institutional interest in demonstrating Christian growth. This does not invalidate the research, but it is a relevant consideration when assessing the framing and presentation of findings.

Academic response:

Sociologists of religion — including those associated with the NatCen BSA programme and the ESRC Religion and Society programme — have publicly questioned the Quiet Revival findings. David Voas (UCL) and others have noted that the survey methodology does not support the headline claims made in the report's press release and media coverage.

The Quiet Revival report does contain useful qualitative material on the experience of Christianity among Black and minority ethnic communities, and its findings on the

character

of Black British Christian practice — its communal, expressive, and socially engaged nature — are broadly consistent with academic literature. The problem is specifically with the quantitative claims about growth, which are not supported by the methodology used.

Recommendation:

Do not cite the Quiet Revival YouGov survey figures as evidence of Christian growth in England. For quantitative claims about trends in Christian identification, use ONS Census 2021 (TS030) and NatCen BSA. For denomination-level attendance trends, use Brierley / Faith Survey with the caveats noted in Section 5.

The following academic works are the most frequently cited in peer-reviewed literature on Black British Christianity and Black Majority Churches. They provide context, analysis, and qualitative depth that official statistics cannot supply.

All primary sources cited in this report, with access notes and confidence ratings.

About this report:

View full site methodology →

labelResearch

href/research/british-christianity

labelBritish Christianity

claimBlack or Black British adults are more likely to identify as Christian than any other broad ethnic group in England and Wales.

sourceONS Census 2021 — Religion by ethnic group (Table TS030)

confidenceHigh

notesDirectly verifiable from ONS Census 2021 published tables. Approximately 70–75% of Black African and Black Caribbean adults identified as Christian in Census 2021.

claimRegular church attendance among Black adults is significantly higher than among white British adults.

sourceNatCen British Social Attitudes survey; Church of England attendance data

notesConsistent finding across multiple survey waves. BSA data shows Black adults are more likely to attend religious services at least monthly than white British adults.

claimThere are approximately 500 Black Majority Churches in London alone.

sourcePeter Brierley / Christian Research — UK Church Statistics

confidenceMedium

notesBrierley's estimates are widely cited but are based on a census methodology that relies on self-reporting by congregations. The figure varies across editions of UK Church Statistics (2005, 2010, 2018). The most recent Brierley / Faith Survey data should be consulted for the current estimate.

claimPentecostal churches are the fastest-growing denomination in England.

sourcePeter Brierley / Faith Survey — UK Church Statistics 2018–2023

notesBrierley's data consistently shows Pentecostal growth against a backdrop of decline in mainline denominations. However, "fastest-growing" depends on the baseline year and whether new church plants are counted. The claim is directionally supported but the specific rate varies by source edition.

claimBlack Majority Churches account for the majority of church growth in London.

sourceBrierley / Faith Survey; Diocese of London data

notesSupported by Brierley's London-specific analysis and Diocese of London attendance data, which shows BMC-affiliated congregations growing while historic Anglican congregations decline. The claim is plausible but the precise share depends on how BMC is defined.

claimChristianity is growing in England, driven by Black and minority ethnic communities.

sourceBible Society — Quiet Revival (2023); YouGov survey commissioned by Bible Society

confidenceLow

notesThe Quiet Revival report and its associated YouGov survey have been subject to significant methodological criticism. See Section 6 for a full assessment. The claim is not supported by ONS Census trend data (2011–2021), which shows overall Christian identification declining from 59% to 46% of the England and Wales population.

claimYoung Black adults are more likely to be Christian than young white adults.

sourceONS Census 2021; NatCen BSA

notesSupported by Census 2021 data cross-tabulating age, ethnicity, and religion. The age gradient in Christian identification is less steep among Black adults than among white British adults — meaning Black young adults retain higher rates of Christian identification than their white peers.

claimThe Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) has over 750 parishes in the UK.

sourceRCCG UK — official parish directory

notesRCCG UK publishes a parish directory. The figure of 750+ parishes is cited in multiple academic sources (including Afe Adogame's work on African Christianity in the diaspora) but the current figure should be verified against the RCCG UK website directly.

claimChurch attendance in England has declined overall since 2010.

sourceChurch of England Statistics for Mission; Brierley / Faith Survey

notesConsistent finding across Church of England Statistics for Mission (published annually) and Brierley's census data. Average weekly attendance at Church of England services fell from approximately 1.1 million in 2010 to under 700,000 by 2022.

claimThe number of Christians in England and Wales fell by 5.5 million between 2011 and 2021.

sourceONS Census 2021 — Religion (Table TS030)

notesDirectly verifiable from ONS Census 2021. Christian identification fell from 59.3% (33.2 million) in 2011 to 46.2% (27.5 million) in 2021 — a fall of approximately 5.7 million people identifying as Christian.

claimBlack African Christians are more likely to attend church weekly than Black Caribbean Christians.

sourceNatCen BSA; academic literature (Modood, Voas, Crockett)

notesConsistent finding in academic literature on religion and ethnicity in Britain. Black African adults — many of whom are first or second generation migrants — show higher rates of weekly attendance than Black Caribbean adults, whose attendance patterns are closer to (though still higher than) the general population.

claimChristianity among Black British communities is growing as a result of African migration.

sourceONS Census 2021; academic literature (Adogame, Burgess)

notesSupported by Census data showing growth in the Black African population (which has higher Christian identification rates) and academic analysis of African diaspora Christianity. The causal claim — that migration is driving growth — is analytically plausible but not directly measured in any single dataset.

claimPeople reporting a religious affiliation have lower suicide rates than those reporting no religion.

sourceONS — Suicide by religion, England: 2011 to 2020 (Inequalities in suicide bulletin)

notesThe ONS inequalities bulletin explicitly states that people reporting any religious group generally had lower suicide rates than those reporting no religion — with the exception of Buddhists and the "Other religion" category. Rates for Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, Christian, and Sikh groups were all lower than for those with no religion. This is a population-level association from linked administrative data. It does not establish that religious practice causes lower suicide risk — confounding factors (age, socioeconomic status, social connectedness) are not controlled for in the published figures. The group difference is explicit in the source; the causal interpretation is not supported by this study design.

claimBlack or Black British adults report lower lifetime prevalence of suicidal thoughts (15.8%) and suicide attempts (3.0%) than some other ethnic groups.

sourceNHS England — Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing, England, 2023 to 2024

notesThis is a behaviour and experience measure — not a mortality count. The NHS survey asks about suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, and self-harm directly. Black or Black British adults reported lower lifetime prevalence of suicidal thoughts (15.8%) and suicide attempts (3.0%) than some other groups in the survey. NHS Digital explicitly warns that some ethnic group confidence intervals are wide and overlapping, and that differences between groups should be treated cautiously. This is self-reported data from a national survey, not linked administrative mortality data — it complements but does not replace the ONS suicide rates bulletin.

authorAfe Adogame

publisherBloomsbury Academic

notesThe most comprehensive academic account of African diaspora Christianity in Britain and Europe. Covers the RCCG, the Church of Pentecost, and other major African-founded denominations. Adogame's work is the standard academic reference for claims about African Christian migration and church growth in the UK.

authorMark Sturge

publisherScripture Union

notesA practitioner-academic account of Black Majority Churches in Britain, covering Caribbean-founded Pentecostal churches (New Testament Church of God, Church of God of Prophecy) and the transition from first-generation migrant congregations to second and third generation BMCs. Widely cited in both academic and church contexts.

authorDavid Voas & Alasdair Crockett

publisherSociology journal; NatCen BSA reports

notesVoas and Crockett's work on religious decline in Britain is the standard academic reference for secularisation trends. Their analysis of the BSA data documents the "fuzzy fidelity" pattern — declining religious practice even among those who retain nominal identification. Their work on ethnic differences in religious practice is directly relevant to claims about Black Christian retention.

authorTariq Modood et al.

publisherPolicy Studies Institute

notesThe PSI Fourth National Survey of Ethnic Minorities (1994) remains an important baseline for understanding religion among Black British communities. Modood's subsequent work on Muslim identity and multiculturalism is less directly relevant, but his framework for understanding ethnic minority religious practice in Britain is widely used.

authorRobert Beckford

publisherDarton, Longman and Todd

notesA theological and cultural analysis of Black British Christianity, focusing on the Caribbean Pentecostal tradition. Beckford's work is more theological than sociological but provides important context for understanding the character and self-understanding of Black Majority Churches.

nameONS Census 2021 — Table TS030 (Religion by ethnic group)

notesFull population census. Most reliable source for religion by ethnicity at national level.

nameNatCen British Social Attitudes (BSA) survey — annual

notesBest longitudinal source for trends in religious practice by ethnicity. Small ethnic minority sub-samples require multi-year pooling.

nameChurch of England Statistics for Mission — annual

notesOfficial Church of England attendance data. Covers Anglican churches only. Published annually.

notesMost detailed source for denomination-level data including BMCs. Self-reporting methodology; verify edition and year when citing.

nameBible Society — Quiet Revival report (2023)

confidenceWithdrawn

notesYouGov survey component has significant methodological concerns. Do not cite quantitative growth claims without direct review of methodology. See Section 6.

notesLinked administrative data analysis. Shows lower suicide rates among those reporting a religious affiliation (Christian, Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, Sikh) compared with those reporting no religion. Exception: Buddhists and "Other religion" category had higher rates. This is a population association — the study design does not establish causation.

notesNational survey measuring suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, and self-harm by ethnicity. Black or Black British adults: 15.8% lifetime suicidal thoughts, 3.0% lifetime suicide attempts. NHS Digital warns that ethnic group confidence intervals are wide and overlapping — differences should be treated cautiously. Self-report survey, not mortality data. Complements but does not replace ONS suicide rates bulletin.

nameEthnicity Facts and Figures — Religion (GOV.UK)

notesGovernment summary of ONS and survey data on religion by ethnicity. Draws on Census 2021 and other official sources. Accessible summary format.

nameRCCG UK — Parish directory

notesSelf-reported parish count. Verify current figure directly from RCCG UK website.

Unverified

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Black Majority Churches & British Christianity — Evidence Report

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Source-traced evidence report on Black Majority Churches and Pentecostal growth in the UK. Confidence ratings, claim tracker, and source-by-source breakdown.

UK Black Demographics

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Source-traced evidence report on Black Majority Churches and Pentecostal growth in the UK. Confidence ratings and claim tracker.

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A source-traced evidence report on Black Majority Churches, Pentecostal growth, and Christianity among Black British communities.

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Black Majority Churches & British Christianity

A source-traced evidence report — tracing claims about Pentecostal growth, Black Majority Churches, and Christianity among Black British communities back to original data sources, with confidence ratings and a full claim tracker.

, href:

Research Report

text-foreground font-medium

mb-14

title=

s own attendance statistics. The weakest evidence — and the most frequently cited in media coverage — comes from the Bible Society

Other religion

, source:

, confidence:

(approximately 15% vs 37% for the total population), and more likely to identify with a specific Christian denomination rather than simply

s UK Church Statistics series — now published under the Faith Survey brand — is the most detailed available source for denomination-level church attendance and congregation data in England. It is based on a census of churches conducted approximately every five years, supplemented by annual surveys. Brierley

text-foreground

s census relies on self-reporting by congregations. Response rates vary and some congregations — particularly newer, independent, and informal churches — may be undercounted. The definition of "Black Majority Church" is not standardised across editions of UK Church Statistics. Comparisons across years should be treated cautiously. Brierley

block mb-2

engagement with Christianity

openness to faith

The African Christian Diaspora: New Currents and Emerging Trends in World Christianity (2013)

Look What the Lord Has Done: An Exploration of Black Christian Faith in Britain (2005)

Religion in Britain: Neither Believing nor Belonging (2005); subsequent BSA analyses

Ethnic Minorities in Britain: Diversity and Disadvantage (1997); subsequent work

Jesus is Dread: Black Theology and Black Culture in Britain (1998)

font-semibold text-foreground

text-foreground italic

Free — ons.gov.uk → Census 2021 → Topic summaries → Religion. Also via NOMIS.

Annual reports free at natcen.ac.uk. Full dataset via UK Data Service (academic access).

Free — churchofengland.org → Research and statistics → Statistics for Mission.

Paid publication — faithsurvey.co.uk. Not freely available.

Free — biblesociety.org.uk

Free — ons.gov.uk → People, population and community → Births, deaths and marriages → Deaths → Suicides → Inequalities in suicide

Free — digital.nhs.uk → Data and information → Publications → Survey of Mental Health and Wellbeing

Free — ethnicity-facts-figures.service.gov.uk → Culture and community → Religion

Free — rccguk.church

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