Christian Nationalism Surges in Britain

LONDON — A movement once viewed largely as an American phenomenon is now taking root in Britain, unsettling churches, energizing conservative activists and igniting a fierce debate over whether Christianity should shape national identity and political power.

A new survey published by Premier Christian News on May 13 found that nearly one in four Christians in Britain now identify with Christian nationalism — a movement that seeks to fuse religious identity with the political and cultural direction of the nation.

The findings have exposed a widening divide inside British Christianity at a moment when Europe is grappling with polarization, immigration tensions and a broader crisis of identity.

Among 260 Christian respondents surveyed, 23 percent described themselves as Christian nationalists, while 25 percent said they viewed the movement as “godly.” Supporters argue that Britain has drifted too far from its Christian roots and that faith should once again influence public life, education and government policy.

Yet the survey also revealed a more complicated picture beneath the rhetoric.

An overwhelming 93 percent of respondents said they were comfortable living alongside Muslims, Sikhs and people of other faiths. At the same time, 26 percent said Christian symbols — including the cross on England’s St. George’s flag — had been misused over the past year for political or ideological purposes.

The tension reflects a broader struggle unfolding across the Western world: whether Christianity should serve primarily as a spiritual faith or as a political identity tied to nationalism and cultural resistance.

Bob Potsiar, a Christian nationalist activist interviewed by Premier Christian News, defended the movement as a legitimate expression of faith in public life. He argued that Christian beliefs should influence politics, including opposition to abortion and stronger protection for churches facing what supporters see as growing hostility in secular society.

He rejected accusations that Christian nationalism is inherently racist or exclusionary.

“Christianity is universal,” he said, insisting the movement is open to all ethnic groups and nations.

Critics inside the church see the matter very differently.

The Rev. Tony Uddin of Tower Hamlets warned that much of the movement’s language is driven by fear of outsiders and cultural change rather than by Christian compassion.

“A lot of this rhetoric comes from fear and hostility toward other cultures,” he said.

For opponents, the rise of Christian nationalism risks transforming churches into political battlegrounds and weakening Christianity’s role as a force for reconciliation in increasingly pluralistic societies.

The movement’s rise in Britain mirrors developments in the United States, where Christian nationalism has become deeply intertwined with conservative politics.

According to the PRRI American Values Atlas 2025, based on responses from more than 22,000 American adults, roughly 30 percent of Americans either support or sympathize with Christian nationalist ideas. Support is strongest among Republicans and white evangelical Christians.

Observers say Britain is now experiencing the spillover effects of America’s culture wars.

Danny Webster of the Evangelical Alliance described the trend as a transatlantic import that is beginning to reshape political and religious conversations in the United Kingdom.

“This used to feel like a purely American issue,” he said. “Now it’s becoming part of the British conversation too.”

The debate has intensified ahead of events such as Unite the Kingdom, a movement blending Christian imagery with nationalist messaging. Supporters portray it as a spiritual revival aimed at restoring Britain’s moral foundations. Critics see something more dangerous: a politicized faith movement capable of deepening social fractures in an already divided society.

What is unfolding in Britain may ultimately prove to be more than a religious argument. It is becoming a test of how faith, identity and nationalism will coexist in a rapidly changing Western world.

(Premier Christian News, PRRI American Values Atlas 2025)