For years now, Justin Brierley has welcomed atheists and agnostics on his Unbelievable? program, usually balanced by a Christian thinker. He’s heard every argument against the faith, as well as dire warnings about the “crisis of meaning” in the modern West. Yet somehow, this wide-ranging and stimulating book sounds a hopeful note. It represents apologetics at its best, a fearless engagement with the most daunting issues of our time.

PHILIP YANCEY, author of What’s So Amazing about Grace? and Where the Light Fell

Smart, inspiring, and ripped with incredible stories!

BEAR GRYLLS, survivalist and host of the former television adventure series Man vs. Wild

Belief in God is back. Despite the claims of New Atheists, a surprising number of leading thinkers are taking the Christian faith seriously. Brierley tells the fascinating story of how the big questions have shifted from the existence of God to whether or not life can have meaning without God. The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God needs to be read and discussed by people of all faiths.

SEAN MCDOWELL, PHD, professor at Biola University, popular YouTuber, and author or editor of over twenty books, including A Rebel’s Manifesto

In this eminently readable book, Justin Brierley gives us a ringside view of his personal engagement with the big issues over the past fifteen years with a wide variety of thought leaders. He chronicles how New Atheism, with its attempted critique of religion in the name of science, rose to dominate the debate only to find its increasingly shrill voice running out of steam until the movement itself disintegrated into a thousand warring fragments. Brierley shows how the culture has shifted to more human concerns about morality, value, meaning, and, above all, personal identity. He showcases this shift by describing his “big conversations” with the perceptive thinking of public intellectuals like Canadian psychologist Jordan Peterson, cultural commentator and journalist Douglas Murray, and historian Tom Holland, among others, who hold that the loss of the shared narrative Christianity once gave us is one of the main causes of cultural fragmentation and loss of identity. That leads to a discussion of the important —yet frequently underappreciated —contribution of the Judeo-Christian worldview to moral values and civil institutions most of us count dear, such as human rights and dignity, medical care and education, that form the bedrock of civilised society.

Brierley has engaged all of these people and many more in his flagship radio show, Unbelievable? His description of the cut and thrust of these fascinating “big conversations” gives readers a unique insight, not only into important issues, but on the leading people involved in discussing them. He highlights how leading thinkers are currently reading the Bible and coming to accept its authenticity —which is leading to a surprising rebirth of belief in God.

Brierley has done us a huge service in bringing a wealth of material together and breathing life into it, just as he does regularly in his Unbelievable? programme This is a first-rate book: get it, read it, and give it to others.

JOHN LENNOX, PHD, Emeritus Professor of Mathematics, University of Oxford, and Emeritus Fellow in Mathematics and Philosophy of Science, Green Templeton College, Oxford

We have all seen the statistics about the decline of Christian identity in the West. But the story of Christianity is far from over. There are few better guides to religious trends than Justin Brierley, who has a lifetime of experience interviewing secular and Christian intellectuals. In this exciting and timely book, he reveals why religion hasn’t gone away and what the church can do to bring the greatest story ever told to a new generation. Read it and be encouraged!

ANDY STANLEY, founder and senior pastor, North Point Ministries

Against the predictions of many, Justin Brierley sees the early stirrings of Christian revival in the UK today. His is a voice worth listening to, with a unique perspective as someone who has spoken to many of the prominent figures who either espouse or oppose the role of religious faith. This book recounts those conversations, considers the big faith issues of contemporary life, and suggests some fascinating and plausible ways forward.

RT REVD DR. GRAHAM TOMLIN, PHD, director of the Centre for Cultural Witness

One of the most fascinating books of the year. Has the “Sea of Faith” gone out, never to return? In this brilliantly written book, Justin Brierley takes a look at the growing numbers of public intellectuals —from historians to scientists to writers to journalists —who have begun to rediscover Christianity. Given the failure of secularism to answer our deepest-felt questions about meaning, value, purpose, and identity, it is perhaps no surprise that the so-called New Atheism failed and that rumours of Christianity’s death were premature and exaggerated. Dive into The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God and discover the personalities, stories, and arguments that have led some to suggest that the tide of faith is on the turn.

ANDY BANNISTER, PHD, director of the Solas Centre for Public Christianity

The claim that Christianity is making a comeback in Britain might seem so counterintuitive as to verge on the lunatic, but Justin Brierley, in making this argument, speaks with the authority of a man who has had a ringside seat for the past decade watching the great debates on religion, and reports on them with learning, subtlety, and grace.

TOM HOLLAND, author of Dominion and cohost of The Rest Is History podcast

Is there a supernatural realm? Does God exist? According to atheists, the answer is a firm no. Our world, our bodies, and our minds are comprised of atoms merely arranged in a sophisticated way. But under this premise, many accepted values and traits become much harder to explain. Why do we believe in inherent human dignity and worth? Why do we pursue significance in life? Why do we have a sense of self and an inner thought life? Justin Brierley, in his compellingly and skilfully written book, shows that a host of public intellectuals who recognise the shortcomings of a purely materialistic outlook have begun speaking openly about the need for a more nuanced, spiritual, and holistic perspective. Drawing from fifteen years of radio interviews and debates, Brierley tells story after story of people changing their minds about God, life, and the universe, along with the reasons why. It’s a riveting read. If you are disenchanted with the status quo —or even if you aren’t —I highly recommend this book. It could be the most important book you read this year.

SHARON DIRCKX, PHD, speaker and author of Am I Just My Brain?

In this characteristically well-researched and readable book, Justin charts the rise of interest in God in the public discourse with an engaging blend of analysis and personal anecdote. The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God is a must-read, and it is a book to share with friends.

AMY ORR-EWING, PHD, Honorary Lecturer at the School of Divinity, University of Aberdeen

In the West, the tide of Christian faith may be at a low ebb, but our “post-Christian” landscape remains utterly shaped by the “Sea of Faith.” And we should never forget that tides also come in. This refreshing and encouraging book introduces us to thinkers rejecting the assumptions of our secular age and discovering an ancient wisdom that was there all along. Justin Brierley is lighting a path back to belief, and I hope that many will follow.

GLEN SCRIVENER, director of Speak Life and author of The Air We Breathe

Atheism is about as satisfying as reading recipes to starving people. Justin Brierley brilliantly shows how the hunger for meaning and truth is leading intelligent people back to Christianity or to Christ for the first time. This engaging and well-reasoned book will not only encourage you, it will also equip you to show spiritually starved people where the real food is. Highly recommended!

FRANK TUREK, author, speaker, and president of Cross Examined