Research conducted by the thinktank Theos has examined attitudes toward Christianity and British national identity among the UK population. The study surveyed 1,765 adults in April 2026 and identified five distinct groups based on their views regarding Christianity and Britishness.
The group most aligned with Christian nationalist views, labeled “identity integrationists” by researchers, represented 11% of survey respondents. While 81% of this group identified as Christian, only 13% attended church weekly—barely above the 11% average for the overall surveyed population. Additionally, fewer than one-third prayed weekly, and 47% expressed interest in the Bible. This group demonstrated strong opposition to immigration and Islam, with only 19% agreeing that Christian values required welcoming asylum seekers and 30% supporting equal treatment of religions in public life.
A contrasting group termed “belief integrationists” comprised 13% of respondents and demonstrated higher levels of religious observance alongside more inclusive attitudes. Among this group, 31% attended church weekly, 46% prayed weekly, and 62% expressed interest in the Bible. Nearly half agreed that Christian values required supporting asylum seekers, and 63% supported equal treatment of religions. Notably, only 18% of belief integrationists considered defending Britain’s Christian culture important to their Christian identity, compared with 90% of the nationalist-oriented group.
Research authors and religious leaders quoted in the report suggested the findings challenge assumptions that Christian nationalism represents a Christian revival. Instead, they indicate Christianity is increasingly being invoked as a marker of British identity amid broader concerns about immigration, Islam, and cultural change. Church leaders and theologians emphasized distinctions between cultural identification with Christianity and active religious practice, noting that committed religious engagement involves practices that foster greater diversity and inclusion than cultural nationalism typically exhibits.
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