Adult baptisms have risen by more than a thousand in the Church of England for a second year running, according to newly-released data.
The Statistics for Mission report for 2025 also finds the total worshipping community, of those regularly attending a church service, increased for a fifth consecutive year to 1,026,000 people, although it has not reached pre-pandemic levels.
The total number of baptisms in the year stood at 59,300. The overall figure was lower than 2019, with infant baptisms having more than halved to 24,600. All other groups aged five and above saw rises, with the report noting that it was 50% higher than if the pre-pandemic trend continued as expected.
Adults being baptised numbered 9,900, up by a third and “quite possibly higher than they have ever been” according to the report.
The figures “do show that we are seeing something happening”, Emma Buchan, head of churches and network support at the Church of England told Premier Christian News, believing it reflected the narrative of a “quiet revival” of Christian faith among young adults.
She said: “That is really significant. There are certainly anecdotes from my husband, from dear friends who are clergy on the ground, from our own experience in our local parish church, that young people in their twenties are turning up, and they’re really serious. They turn up with a brand new Bible in hand, often the King James Version, finding it quite hard to read, and asking, ‘What do I do with this?’ And they're really, really interested, and they really want to learn. They're just trying to discover who God is and who Jesus is in their lives.”
Advent services at churches drew 4,850,000 attendees across congregations, school, community and civic events. There was a 5.2% growth in Christmas attendance at 1,960,000; Easter saw a greater rise at 7.2% with 1,030,000 attendees.
Buchan added: “We are seeing a growth in the number of people attending church, and we’re also seeing a growth in the number of people who are attending the festivals in church, which I think speaks really strongly to what is going on in this country, going back to the quiet revival again, of people really turning to Christ in this generation.
Archbishop of Canterbury, Most Rev Sarah Mullally, said: “This is such an encouraging sign of God at work in our church and in our congregations. Behind these numbers are individual people who are coming to our churches and experiencing the presence of the living, loving God.
"Whether at morning prayer, a Sunday service, Evensong, a youth hub, a parent and toddler group - or any of the countless ways that the Church of England serves our communities in every parish - it is clear that people are seeking meaning, connection and hope in a turbulent world.
“I have seen this growth on many visits to parishes and dioceses this year. I’m grateful for the tireless and often unseen work of clergy, lay ministers and volunteers who provide a warm welcome to all those attending church, whether that is every week, or for the first time.”