Podcast Summary

Podcast: Bannon’s War Room Battleground EP 833
Episode: Unexpected Christian Resurgence In Secular UK As Belief In God Triples Among Youth To Almost 50%
Air Date: August 20, 2025
Host: WarRoom.org; Main host: Ben Harnwell
Guests: Jenny Holland, Frank Walker

Main Theme and Purpose

This episode explores an "astonishing" resurgence of Christian belief among young people in the UK, as revealed by a recent YouGov poll. The discussion situates this unexpected trend within the context of contemporary British secularism, generational dynamics, cultural rebellion, institutional church responses, and broader spiritual shifts. The show further delves into Catholic Church controversies and supernatural experiences prompting religious belief, with guests offering both statistical analysis and personal reflections.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The UK’s Youth Christian Revival

[00:55-05:36]

• Host (Ben Harnwell) introduces YouGov poll data showing belief in God among UK 18-24-year-olds tripled from 16% (Aug 2021) to 45% (Jan 2025). He describes the findings as “astonishing news,” particularly in the context of the UK’s entrenched secularism.

  • “When I first saw this, I had the difficulty to believe it. ...huge turnaround in such a very short period of time.” — Ben, [01:43]

• Jenny Holland provides a breakdown of the trend:

  • 45% of young adults report church attendance, up from 16%.
  • Church of England attendance among men (18-24) is especially strong; 1 in 5 men now attend regularly.
  • Women's attendance also up (from 3% to 12%).
  • 18-24-year-olds now the second most likely group to attend church in England.
  • Catholics and Bible sales also see increases.

Notable quote:

“Now the 18 to 24 year olds are...the second most likely group to attend church in England. So absolutely stunning numbers.” — Jenny Holland [04:23]

2. Is This Revival Despite or Because of Church Leadership?

[05:36-10:08]

• Ben questions if liberal bishops have aided or hindered this revival.

  • “Is this renaissance taking place because of...or in spite of their attempts to undermine the faith?” — Ben [05:37]

• Jenny argues it's despite the establishment, noting mainstream institutions—including parts of the Church—have alienated people with bureaucracy and perceived “woke” agendas.

  • Cites government efforts to “portray ordinary God fearing Christians as a far right menace.”
  • UK’s Prevent program labels “cultural nationalism” as a right-wing extremist threat, lumping some churchgoers into suspicion.

Notable quote:

“…You have this bureaucracy...constantly going back to try and convince people that people who pray on Sundays in churches across Europe are an actual terrorist threat. ...On the other side, apparently you have these shocking numbers of young people...” — Jenny [07:55]

3. Generational Rebellion: Spirituality as Counterculture

[08:46-13:55]

• Ben suggests youth may be rejecting "woke" ideology by turning to faith.

  • “Might this be a case of the natural rebelliousness of youth rebelling against the woke superstructure...?” [09:08]

• Jenny agrees, seeing a backlash against politicized, “cringe” youth messaging and hyper-sexualized culture, referencing controversial UK media figures as symbols of cultural decay.

  • “It’s really like the emperor has no clothes....If you’re a young person who wants to rebel, you don’t want to have anything to do with Nike or Bud Light, or whatever government agency is putting out some embarrassing NAFF leaflets...” [10:19]
  • “There’s a culture of extreme promiscuity...young people are having a very natural and healthy reaction against that.” [11:28]

4. Cultural and Identity Factors: Islam, Immigration, and Disenchantment

[13:55-15:46]

• Frank Walker joins, arguing youth are not only rebelling against parents but against a disappointed, secular society and the pressures of modern multiculturalism.

  • “They're not really rebelling against their parents. They're rebelling against society that has left them so unhappy.” — Frank [14:26]

• The influx is also tied to post-Covid shifts and immigration. Concerns remain regarding whether mainline churches will genuinely nurture faith.

Notable quote:

“...I hope that they can find actual churches to go to that will help their lives be better.” — Frank [15:45]

5. Concerns about Church Leadership and Vatican Developments

[19:26-25:19]

• YouGov segment transitions into the Catholic sphere:

  • Frank Walker critiques the Vatican (under “Pope Leo XIV”) for welcoming the radical group “We Are Church,” which advocates liberal reforms, including on LGBTQ matters.
  • Raises alarms about “scandal,” warning that new leadership is following Pope Francis’s controversial path under a traditionalist veneer.

• Ben calls out the silence of “trad Catholic” media and calls for accountability.

Notable quotes:

“This is exactly Francis 2.0 because it’s a scandal. ...If you look at Leo, all Leo stories, it's all just like this... He pretends on the surface to be Catholic.” — Frank [21:52]
“Are you expecting them just to keep this under the sand...Call them out and say to them, what are you looking at from them on this kind of development?” — Ben [20:51]

6. Supernatural Experiences and Conversion: The CNN Hospice Story

[31:12-40:23]

• Jenny and Ben highlight a CNN article about Scott Jensen, an atheist-turned-believer after decades in hospice care.
  • Story includes firsthand accounts of dying patients reporting supernatural visitations, awakening new spiritual attitudes in both patients and caregivers.

Notable moment:

“Honestly, I found was hard to stay composed. It was very moving.” — Jenny, describing the article’s impact [33:39]

• Frank shares a similar personal experience involving his mother-in-law’s death and observes that such “supernatural” occurrences are widely reported by hospice professionals and clergy.
  • “...when you hear an instrument playing that...don’t even really exist...this must be what angels sound like...” [38:15]
  • Emphasizes importance of not leaving conversion to the deathbed.

7. Personal Reflections on Death and Faith

[40:23-43:14]

• Jenny shares her own “brush with the supernatural” around her father’s death, relating how her stridently atheist father’s attitude shifted as he neared the end of life, paralleling the transformation seen in the CNN story.
  • “I think in his own mind, ...as he was getting ready...his soul actually was activating itself.” [41:09]

8. Ongoing Vatican Narratives and Distrust

[43:14-50:40]

• Briefly addresses media framing of Pope Leo XIV moving back to the Apostolic Palace, noting attempts to use traditional imagery to deflect concerns.
• Frank and Ben remain skeptical, pointing out potential cronyism, lack of transparency, and the problematic prominence of “liberalizing” figures at the Vatican.

Notable quote:

"...he's having [the palace] converted into like this condo with all his buddies. …He pretends on the surface to be Catholic. Meanwhile, ...there's also another gay group having a pilgrimage. It's almost like a gay pride parade..." — Frank [22:20, condensed]

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

(Timestamps in MM:SS, may be off by a few seconds due to sponsor reads/edits.)

• On church resurgence among youth:
  • “Now the 18 to 24 year olds are...the second most likely group to attend church in England. So absolutely stunning numbers.” — Jenny Holland [04:23]
• On secular pushback:
  • “…bureaucracy, both British and European, that is insistent and in a very concerted and very dark way, constantly ...trying to convince people that people who pray ...are an actual terrorist threat.” — Jenny Holland [07:55]
• On rebellion against "the woke":
  • “It's not rebellious to join the mainstream woke…it's a rebellion to go to church.” — Paraphrased aggregation from Jenny and Ben [10:45]
• On spiritual experiences in hospice care:
  • “These are ordinary people going through extraordinary things.” — Jenny Holland [34:54]
• Personal spiritual testimony:
  • “I remember hearing...a hymn and it just kind of turned into this music...I told myself this must be what angels sound like...” — Frank Walker [38:15]

Important Segment Timestamps

• UK faith resurgence figures / analysis: 00:55–05:36
• Why the revival is happening, cultural rebellion: 05:36–13:55
• Immigration, disaffection and institutional response: 13:55–15:46
• Vatican crisis, “We Are Church”, Trad Catholic response: 19:26–25:54
• CNN hospice article / supernatural conversions: 31:12–40:23
• Host/guest personal reflections on loss and faith: 40:23–43:14
• Papal living quarters—narrative skepticism: 47:07–50:40

Flow and Tone

• The tone blends combative critique (“medieval on these people”), skepticism toward mainstream and church institutions, and moments of emotional candor when discussing personal faith and loss.
• Both hosts and guests balance pointed criticism of elites/institutions with empathy for those experiencing spiritual awakening or personal hardship.
• The panel openly encourages challenging both secular and religious status quos.

Additional Resources

• Frank Walker’s website: canon212.com
• Jenny Holland on X: @semperfemina21; Substack: jennyeholland.substack.com
• CNN article on Scott Jensen (hospice worker): Not directly linked but recommended by panel.

This summary covers the episode’s most significant points and pivotal moments, enabling listeners and non-listeners alike to grasp the breadth and depth of the conversation.