Christianity in Britain Finds New Life Among Immigrants as Political Rhetoric Hardens

LONDON, DC News — As the number of people identifying as Christian in England and Wales continues its long decline, a contrasting story is unfolding within immigrant and minority communities, where churches are growing in size and influence. At the same time, a parallel development is stirring concern: the increasing use of Christian identity in right-wing political rhetoric.

Scholars and recent data suggest that the broader trajectory of Christianity in Britain remains one of steady decline. According to the 2021 census from the Office for National Statistics, just 46.2 percent of the population in England and Wales identified as Christian, down from 59.3 percent in 2011 and 71.7 percent in 2001. Attendance at Sunday services has also fallen sharply over the past decades.

A 2025 British Social Attitudes survey found that Christian identification has stabilized at around 40 percent, with little indication of a revival among younger generations. Analysts point to a range of contributing factors, including growing skepticism toward traditional religious doctrines, the rise of cultural pluralism, and a loss of public trust following scandals within church institutions.

Yet the decline is not universal. In many immigrant communities, Christianity appears to be thriving. Black Pentecostal churches, in particular, have demonstrated resilience and growth in cities like London and Birmingham, often attracting large congregations and maintaining strong financial and social networks.

One prominent example is the Kingsway International Christian Centre (KICC), founded by Nigerian-born pastor Matthew Ashimolowo. The church reports weekly attendance exceeding 12,000 at its “Prayer City” campus in Kent and is frequently cited as one of the fastest-growing churches in Western Europe. Such institutions trace their roots to Afro-Caribbean migration in the 1960s and 1970s, when racial discrimination in traditional British churches led many worshipers to establish their own congregations.

Growth is also evident among churches serving Asian communities, including international students across British universities. Meanwhile, immigration from Eastern Europe has helped reinvigorate Roman Catholic parishes. These developments stand in contrast to the Church of England, which continues to struggle with declining membership and attendance.

At the same time, Christian symbolism is increasingly visible in right-wing political discourse. Nigel Farage, leader of Reform UK, has frequently invoked Britain’s “Judeo-Christian values” in discussions of national identity. Danny Kruger, a former Conservative lawmaker who has aligned with Reform, has called for a revival of “Christian politics” as a counterweight to what he describes as “wokeism.”

Similar rhetoric has been echoed by far-right activist Tommy Robinson. At a “Unite the Kingdom” rally in London in September 2025, demonstrators were seen carrying wooden crosses and chanting “Christ is King.” Observers note that such messaging bears resemblance to strands of Christian nationalism in the United States, where religious identity is intertwined with nationalist, anti-immigration and anti-liberal ideologies.

Still, analysts caution that this trend remains relatively new and far from dominant in Britain’s political landscape. Many Christian leaders, including bishops within the Church of England, have pushed back against efforts to appropriate religion for political ends, emphasizing values such as compassion, hospitality and openness toward migrants.

The current moment reveals a complex duality in British Christianity. While immigrant communities are injecting new vitality into religious life, the growing use of Christian identity in political rhetoric raises concerns about its potential role in deepening social and cultural divisions.

Academics argue that the future of Christianity in Britain may depend less on its traditional institutions and more on these emerging communities shaped by migration. Whether that vitality fosters cohesion or division, they warn, will depend on how — and by whom — religion is ultimately mobilized. []