For the first time ever in the UK atheists now outnumber people who believe in God, while across the Atlantic a religious revival is set to reshape public life. While seemingly opposed, both scenarios share a telling commonality. 

Organised religion hasn’t had an easy run in the West of late. A series of unsavoury scandals, the rise of celebrity atheists like Richard Dawkins and Ricky Gervais, and the dawn of a new science-centric internet era cast a shadow over the Church and brought into question its role as a buttress to our society. But while brand God took a relative hit on both sides of the Atlantic, the UK and the US now find themselves facing opposite directions at the same crossroads. 

In the UK, researchers found that atheists now outnumber believers for the first time, ushering in the first “age of atheism”. This won’t be a huge surprise to many. British society has felt palpably uncoupled from its historic Christian traditions for some time. The team behind the research say that despite stereotypes about an untethered and purposeless life, atheists are fulfilled, emotionally intelligent people, often with a deep love of nature and faith in objective morality. A future in which the Church continues to regress from British life feels likely. 

In the US however, the role of God in public life has not only returned to the fore, but taken on greater importance than at any time in living memory. The recent election was viewed by many as a quasi-biblical battle between Good and Evil, or between dogma and personal autonomy. And after a generation of steady increases, it looks like the percentage of Americans with no religious affiliation may have plateaued, opening the door to a comeback.

What does this tell us about culture?

Putting aside arguments over the existence of an omnipotent being, both sides would agree that modern society has been found wanting in matters of belonging. We are lonelier than ever. Distrust and pessimism darken our collective spirit. Whether entering an age of atheism or standing on the verge of a religious revival, we feel no less divided.

It’s also difficult to ignore that many tried and tested antidotes to our social malaise – a shared belief system, faith in your fellow human, rituals and celebrations, intergenerational community spaces – are cornerstones of a religious community. These important markers of a healthy social life are like water to a plant. We undoubtedly suffer without them.

In the absence of religion, many instead found these things in subculture: local youth clubs, nightclubs, community pubs, or by following a sports team, but those opportunities are also being eroded through financial downturns and cheerless policymakers. Britain has lost 37% of its nightclubs in the last four years, and 42% of youth clubs since 2010. The cost of following football has priced many working class fans out of the game. Whether church, club or stadium, the loss of these third spaces cannot be underestimated.

Whether the answer lies in reinstating God at the heart of society, as some in the US would clearly like to see, or finding other ways to participate in a shared culture, there seems to be a gradual collective realisation that we need to do something to rediscover our collective higher purpose. Rampant consumerism and messaging apps just aren’t cutting it. 

But what can you do with this?

• Understand the power of belonging: before the birth of the teenager, religions were dominant in how we think about culture and communities. They have it all; value, rituals, icons, and their own language. Understanding what connects the St Peter’s Basilica with the Sunday long run, Wall Street, and Paradise Garage (hint; they’re all places of worship) is crucial to understanding how your brand shows up in culture. 
• Choose – and spread – hope: the rise in looking to the heavens for answers is in response to the fall in happiness on the earth. Brands speak to people tens of thousands of times every day (more than 12,000 messages per human, according to the IAB), and that offers an opportunity to put more hope and positivity into the world – finding moments to celebrate culture, community, and each other is one simple way to bring a little light to an otherwise often dark time. 

To unlock more insights, email discover@culturelab.co 

^{(Sources: CultureLab CultureIndex, February 2025)}