Nearly 40% of Christians prefer not to tell people about their faith: survey

May 29, 2024

A new survey conducted by Whitestone Insight on behalf of The Institute for the Impact of Faith on Life (IIFL) shows that nearly 40% of British Christians surveyed, say they prefer not to disclose their religious beliefs.

The Christian Post reports that the findings underscore a trend of religious reticence and a “self confidence crisis among Christians in the U.K. The survey found a similar reluctance among Jewish respondents who agreed with the statement “I prefer not to tell other people about my faith or religious background.”

Jake Scott is the secretary for the IIFL and he said this reluctance may stem from uncertainty about religious identity among those who were surveyed. Scott stated:  “They may prefer not to speak about the faith because they have a lack of confidence when it comes to whether they truly identify as Christians.”

According to the Christian Post, the survey also revealed generational differences in attitudes toward faith with just 30% of 18-24 year olds who believed that individuals shouldn’t discuss their faith in the workplace.

In respondents 65 and over, that number rose to over 50% of respondents saying it’s inappropriate to discuss their faith in the workplace.

Despite some serious reservations, the survey showed that sixty-two percent of respondents agreed that Christian heritage is vital to British culture. The survey was conducted online between May 1–2. and data were weighted to be representative of all U.K. adults.

Photo: top, Credit: Unsplash/Karl Fredrickson