Research from the thinktank Theos examined attitudes toward Christianity and British national identity among 1,765 adults surveyed in April 2026. The study identified five distinct groups and found that those most closely aligned with Christian nationalism—labeled “identity integrationists”—made up 11% of respondents and represented the smallest group. While 81% of this group identified as Christian, only 13% attended church weekly, comparable to the 11% average across the entire survey population.
The identity integrationists group displayed notably hostile attitudes toward immigration and Islam. Only 19% agreed that Christian values required welcoming asylum seekers, and just 30% supported equal treatment of religions in public life. By contrast, a separate group termed “belief integrationists”—comprising 13% of respondents—showed higher levels of religious observance and more accepting views of immigration and religious diversity. Among this group, 31% attended church weekly, and nearly half agreed that Christian values required supporting asylum seekers.
The findings challenge the notion that rising Christian nationalism reflects a religious revival. Instead, researchers suggest Christianity is increasingly invoked as a marker of British identity amid broader concerns about immigration, Islam, and cultural change. Church leaders and theologians commenting on the research emphasized the distinction between cultural Christianity and active faith practice. Nick Spencer, a report author, noted that regular religious participation—such as attending services with diverse congregations—tends to foster more humanistic values, while detached identification with Christianity as cultural heritage does not.
Additional survey data indicated widespread discomfort with religious change: 55% of respondents said they would be unhappy if their local church became a mosque, while 37% agreed with replacement conspiracy theories about European white populations. Church officials and theologians stressed that authentic Christian discipleship involves transformation of values through encounter with faith, not merely cultural identity claims.
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