Justin Brierley
@JusBrierley
Followers
31K
Following
13K
Media
2K
Statuses
21K
Broadcaster, writer & speaker. Hosting conversations on faith, science, theology & culture. My stuff: https://t.co/mSReN4kJjt
London
Joined August 2010
A surprising number of atheists are investigating Christianity again. Is the tide of faith turning?. All 30 episodes of the award-winning first season of The Surprising Rebirth Of Belief In God podcast are now available. Start listening here: Find out
21
25
92
This week… . 1. Millions of people heard about the evidence for Jesus on the world’s most popular podcast as @joerogan interviewed Biblical scholar @WesleyLHuff . 2. A 1000-seat London venue saw @holland_tom & @nickcave discussing God, art and church for @unherd . 3. I spent 3
65
150
1K
Last year @holland_tom invited me to attend a service of Evensong with him at London’s oldest church, St Bartholomew the Great. Holland, who co-hosts the phenomenally popular The Rest is History podcast, has been a regular congregant for a few years. He began attending while
24
102
1K
Hi Richard, you and I once had a conversation about this:. "Justin: But if we’d evolved into a society where rape was considered fine, would that mean that rape is fine?. Richard: I don’t want to answer that question. It’s enough for me to say that we live in a society where it’s.
Is morality objective?.
56
120
792
Easter weekend is a good time to tell the story of how agnostic UNC prof Molly Worthen recently discovered the evidence for the life, death and resurrection of Jesus. A 🧵…
8
93
714
*Keep Christianity Weird* says @holland_tom. Don’t accommodate to the ideological mainstream, instead major on the supernatural…. What do you think?. Listen to Ep 30 of The Surprising Rebirth Of Belief In God in full >>
47
118
712
I have some news… I’m moving on from Unbelievable! 😱😢😄.Keep in touch with my future projects at
157
35
662
Today I am celebrating 20 years of marriage to the wonderful Lucy Brierley.
43
3
632
What an absolute privilege to both baptise our daughter Grace this morning at church. And such a joy to see two of our other young people also professing faith and being baptised. Each shared beautiful testimonies. Not a dry eye in the house 🥲
37
17
600
What do atheists believe in? 🧐. This is just a bit of fun really, but it is based on many conversations I’ve had with those who claim not to have any beliefs to defend in the way Christians do - but we all have a worldview in the end…
294
100
576
This may look like a men's prayer group - it's actually a screen shot from a debate on Calvinism and Molinism I recorded last night between @RFupdates & @DrOakley1689. Releases this Fri.
73
65
580
Let me tell you about The Surprising Rebirth Of Belief In God podcast. Subscribe & listen at A new long form documentary series telling the story of why new atheism grew old and secular thinkers are considering Christianity again.
40
150
462
You could have heard a pin drop! . The moment atheist @CosmicSkeptic surprised our Edinburgh audience by reciting CS Lewis’ poem ‘The Apologist’s Evening Prayer’ from memory. Watch to see what happened at the end. The full event is now available on YouTube
24
96
470
There's a Christian genocide happening in Nigeria right now. It doesn't get reported much but it needs to be highlighted as much as any other atrocity.
Silence is never an option in the face of evil. It may seem like it's far away but it hits closer to all than we think. Injustice to one is Injustice to all. #RespectLife.#SouthernKadunaKillingsMustStopNow
10
270
424
‘Ladies and gentlemen, how wrong I was!’. Historian @holland_tom tells me why he changed his mind about Christianity. Watch the full video at the link below👇
8
61
466
Sooo excited to announce this :-) . I’ll soon be starting a brand new regular podcast with NT (Tom) Wright answering YOUR questions. Get registered at the site and get your Qs in NOW for the first episodes
19
88
436
I think Ayaan’s point is that secular humanism, stripped of its Christian foundations, does not have the strength to sustain the values it espouses.
The brave & brilliant Ayaan Hirsi Ali is one of my heroes, but I disagree w her here ("Why I am now a Christian"). The alternative to theistic morality is not atheism but humanism, the use of reason to enhance human flourishing. 1/3
46
52
430
John MacArthur says women preachers like @BethMooreLPM should ‘go home’. Here’s what @profntwright says:.
19
80
380
@KonstantinKisin I think you may be part of a phenomenon I’m calling ‘The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God’. Looking forward to chatting with you about it at some point :-)
23
22
384
BIG NEWS: .This week I'm launching a new podcast based on my recent book. Listen & subscribe now: This is a deep-dive, long-form documentary into why new atheism grew old and secular thinkers are considering Christianity again. The introduction and EP 1
48
63
388
“Safe? Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you”. Such a pleasure to read Narnia to my 8 & 4 year old boys. Still the best children’s books 70 yrs after publication.
19
38
384
CS Lewis responds to an airforce officer who pitted the experience of God against abstract doctrine:. “I remember once when I had been giving a talk to the R.A.F., an old, hard-bitten officer got up and said, ‘I’ve no use for all that stuff. But, mind you, I’m a religious man
13
71
367
How new atheism led historian @ProfStonebraker to Christian faith. Sarah was enjoying a successful academic career at Cambridge and Oxford. Surprisingly, it was a lecture by atheist ethicist @PeterSinger that first jolted her out of non-belief. Watch her tell me the story in
17
87
371
Also Aldous Huxley: . ‘I had motive for not wanting the world to have a meaning; consequently assumed that it had none, and was able without any difficulty to find satisfying reasons for this assumption. The philosopher who finds no meaning in the world is not concerned.
14
66
341
Wow. Apparently my Easter piece for the @spectator was their most read article of 2024 🤯. In case you missed it:.
10
49
348
The conversion of a classicist. 🧵. James Orr (@jtworr) and I both attended the same college at Oxford University in the late 1990s. I was already a Christian when I arrived as an undergraduate, but James was not. His public school education had involved attending chapel, but
3
37
330
Wow.
When Ayaan Hirsi Ali wrote that she had become Christian, it sounded political. But last night she revealed what happened: a spiritual awakening after suicidal depression. Dawkins probed, highlighting “nonsense the vicar says” and Christianity being “obsessed with sin.” Then:
11
26
318
Historian Tom Holland on coming to the edge of belief following a cancer diagnosis. Listen in full: Video: @holland_tom
3
47
302
By faith I don’t mean a leap into the dark, I mean a step into the light, because there’s evidence @ProfJohnLennox #thebigconversation.
6
65
277
History Maker: Why Tom Holland changed his mind about Christ. Episode 10 of the Surprising Rebirth podcast charts how the Christian story shaped us. I hear from @holland_tom on why he changed his mind about Christianity, alongside thinkers, historians and converts on why
20
58
270
Sad to hear of the death of Daniel Dennett, one of the so-called 4 horsemen of New Atheism. I enjoyed meeting him in 2018 for a Big Conversation on consciousness and the soul with Keith Ward. I disagreed with many of his conclusions but he had a great mind and was a brilliant
21
25
279
I’m excited to reveal the cover art for my forthcoming book ‘The Surprising Rebirth Of Belief In God’. I’ve also just made the foreword, intro and Ch 1 available early exclusively to Patreon supporters. Enjoy!
33
31
270
Thank God for Richard Dawkins! . New Atheism sought to demolish belief in God. Ironically, it led to a revival in Christian apologetics and even the conversion of a number of atheists. In Ep 3 of ‘The Surprising Rebirth Of Belief In God’ I speak to thinkers, skeptics and
33
39
275
It’s not just a legend… 5 historical facts about the resurrection. 🤯. #apologetics .#Jesus.#Easter.#Resurrection.#Christianity
42
70
259
I wrote this article for the Easter edition of @spectator magazine. The title is not mine - a ‘revival’ is not quite what we are seeing… yet. But I sense something significant is stirring.
22
48
241
I’ve been friends with Alex O’Connor ever since he was a teenage skeptic making vids in his bedroom. Today @CosmicSkeptic is one of the most interesting and influential people in the world talking about God, atheism, and culture. I’m so pleased to be joining him for an evening
7
13
242
“Today, I’m not embarrassed to be a Christian at Oxford, a highly secular and progressive institution in a post-Christian country. The above cultural and spiritual variables have created a context where spiritual conversations come up with ease. There’s no awkward or unnatural.
5
27
251
James Orr was an agnostic Classics student at Oxford University when someone gave him a copy of the New Testament in its original Greek. Reading it changed his life…. Hear the full story on Ep 17 of The Surprising Rebirth Of Belief In God podcast
3
31
228
Just had the pleasure of meeting Hayley after my first seminar at #SpringHarvest2019. She told me she came to my seminar 4 years ago convinced that science disproves God and left thinking the opposite. She’s now a Christian. Thank you Jesus 🙌🙌🙌
11
18
218
Gosh lots of response 😅. No offence was intended atheist friends!. Being 60secs long inevitably means it’s a bit of a caricature, but honestly I don’t think the beliefs I placed on the lips of the atheist in the vid are different to those I’ve heard many times from key.
What do atheists believe in? 🧐. This is just a bit of fun really, but it is based on many conversations I’ve had with those who claim not to have any beliefs to defend in the way Christians do - but we all have a worldview in the end…
127
18
218
I’m chuffed to see The Surprising Rebirth Of Belief In God podcast consistently charting at no. 1 in the UK Religion & Spirituality chart since it launched a month ago. Get into it here: It’s a deep dive documentary podcast on the rise and fall of new
18
23
217
Voltaire once predicted the death of the Bible. What happened next was so ironic Alanis Morissette could have made a song out of it.
16
44
207
🎉The Surprising Rebirth Of Belief In God documentary podcast has won a ‘Zenger Prize’ for journalism! 🎉. What’s even more fun is that it’s actually a magnifying glass! . Thanks to the Zenger Prize for this wonderful recognition of the podcast . If you haven’t started listening
15
12
212
18
44
207
“I crave the enchantment. A Christianity that has bled itself of enchantment is a pallid and an anaemic thing.”. Some thoughts from my conversation with @holland_tom on when he finds faith most compelling.
11
25
193
Got to unbox this little beauty from @YouTube today. Now installed in place in the home studio 😁 #youtubecreatorawards
23
1
198
Looking forward to speaking to a couple of thousand teenagers at @newdayevent this morning. Pray for me 😅
11
3
194
Sad to hear of the death of philosopher of science Michael Ruse (1940-2024). He was one of the most generous and joyful atheist guests I had the pleasure of hosting in a number of conversations. Including this one with @ProfJohnLennox in 2018. He always told me Christianity was
13
15
204
The best Christmas present I could ask for!.
@JusBrierley thank you for helping me finding my way back to faith and to God. Merry Christmas to you and your family. PS: love the podcast ☺️.
4
4
200
I've entered the brave new world of TikTok. here's me having ago at the cosmological/contingency argument in 60secs 😬
16
27
187
The not-so-glamorous reality of how my podcasts get made… in the car waiting for my son to come out of a ballet lesson 😅
19
2
193
I just recorded a chat with @profntwright from his Oxford home where he is self-isolating with wife Maggie. As usual he was full of wise pastoral advice on prayer, lament and hope in the time of #Coronavirus. Watch the vid or listen to the podcast here:.
5
57
181
Today we recorded the first of a 'Big Conversation' series for Unbelievable? featuring Dr @jordanbpeterson and Dr Susan Blackmore. Look out for it and more conversations between leading thinkers on big question of science, faith and philosophy later this year
16
22
172
I'm very excited to be bringing @profntwright & @DouglasKMurray together for a live-stream Big Conversation to discuss Identity, Myth & Miracles. You can watch live and join the Q&A on Thurs 13 May. Register for our newsletter so you don't miss it :-)
5
35
181
I was so glad to be able to share a conversation with @timkellernyc earlier this year, one of a number over the years. So very sorry to hear of his passing. Such a great legacy that he leaves of winsome persuasion. Rest in peace and rise in glory.
2
7
178
Beautifully put.
CHRISTIANITY: Belief that one God created a universe 13.79 billion yrs old, 93 billion light yrs in diameter (1 light yr = approx. 6 trillion miles), consisting of over 200 billion galaxies, each containing ave. of 200 billion stars, only to have a personal relationship with you.
11
18
170
"When people get rid of God they tend to replace him with all kinds of modern idols and quasi-religious stories. We don’t become less religious, we just become religious about different things. However, I believe the Christian story may be ready to sweep in again and make sense.
60
17
177
So very sad to hear of Ravi’s passing. He was responsible for helping to raise a new generation of Christian thinkers. I’ll be reflecting on his life and ministry in a forthcoming show. Feel free to share your reflections too.
9
27
174
It's here! My book tells the story of the show and my case for Christianity after 10 years of talking with atheists
23
56
162
Interesting… this conversation is happening among a lot of people. HT @andygbannister for the thread
I don't think I've ever said this publicly and directly but I think the West is absolutely screwed if it loses Christianity. Explaining this in full would require an entire book. But I've thought about it a lot over the years and reached this conclusion. It's like removing the.
19
26
171
A wonderful evening last night in Edinburgh debating the Surprising Rebirth of Belief In God with @CosmicSkeptic. Great hosting by Patrick Brown for @trinityforum. The unexpected highlight of the evening was Alex reciting from memory CS Lewis’ poem ‘The Apologist’s Evening
9
13
169
Didn’t Christians promote a flat earth? Wasn’t Galileo tortured by the church?.Weren’t Christians responsible for the Dark Ages?. Nope, nope and nope. The history of the ‘Science vs Faith’ conflict is fake news ⚠️. Find out why the errors and fabrications of two 19th Century
12
36
173
‘Keep Christianity Weird’™️ says @holland_tom. Is this the movement the church needs after the waning of the ‘seeker sensitive’ era?. Listen in full to Ep30 of The Surprising Rebirth podcast
15
18
164
Holland is not alone as an agnostic trying out church again. In contrast to the usual ageing demographic of many Anglican churches, the congregation of St Bart’s seems to mainly consist of young professionals, both male and female. I noticed a famous politician among the gathered
4
6
168
Hey Twitter hive-mind. I’m planning to put a show together discussing the #asburyrevival - who should I have on to talk about it?
146
5
163
The cosmological argument for God from contingency (via ping pong) 🏓. What do you think?
208
24
161
Science vs faith? Not so much… 👀. Support more vids for me or get my audiobook free:
11
41
156
How to solve the God puzzle. 🤔. This took me so many attempts to film 😅. #christianity .#Godisreal.#apologetics .#Jesus
21
29
154
Happy birthday to an amazing mum, minister and wife Lucy. She’s not on Twitter but I need everyone to know how awesome she is. This card by our 2 youngest boys expresses just a few of the reasons
12
0
159
Raised in a Marxist, militant atheist family, @sygarte fell in love with the factual world of science. He became a distinguished research biochemist with an anti-theistic worldview to bolster his work--and he had no intention of seeking a God he didn't believe in. That is,
3
44
159
I’ve spent the last 2 days in London recording the audiobook version of my next title… Why I’m Still a Christian. It’s a revised and updated edition of my first book which made the case for Christianity. Comes out in April next year but you can preorder it now :-)
6
6
160
The Big Conversation Season 2 begins on Fri 13 Sep. Big Thinkers. Big Questions. Big Conversations. Sign up to be the first to watch as videos land this autumn.
18
40
154
‘Thank God For Richard Dawkins’ . Ep 3 of The Surprising Rebirth Of Belief In God podcast. Listen now: New Atheism sought to demolish belief in God. Ironically, it led to a revival in Christian apologetics and even the conversion of a number of atheists.
16
28
155
Received today. Apparently the coronation is part of a ‘truly alarming’ resurgence of religion. @Humanists_UK & @AdamRutherford you may not like the religious stuff but these words & symbols go back literally millennia. It’s ok to celebrate our heritage however weird you find it.
21
7
151
“One who contended that a poem was nothing but black marks on white paper would be unanswerable if he addressed an audience who couldn’t read… Those who can read, however, will continue to say the poem exists.”.CS Lewis
5
26
154
Renowned Bible scholar @profntwright tells me how he changed his mind on the meaning of Romans 8. And find out what he makes of the new wave of public intellectuals, such as Jordan Peterson and Tom Holland, showing a fresh interest in Christianity. Watch in full at the link
6
21
155
We delivered a letter expressing our church’s solidarity with our Muslim neighbours in Woking this weekend #lovenothate
10
12
144
Pretty amazing moment - a living example of what it looks like when we have experienced Jesus’ reconciling forgiveness in our own lives.
Botham Jean's brother to Amber Guyger: "I forgive you.". In a stunning moment, Brandt Jean asked the judge to allow him to hug the former Dallas police officer after she was sentenced to 10 years in prison for killing his sibling.
8
41
154
Why would a good God allow us to do evil? 🧐. #sufferingPt2 #apologetics #God #christiantwitter #atheism
46
39
144
New research in @thetimes this weekend. Shows Gen Z are the ‘open’ generation in term of spirituality and the least likely to define as atheist. I know that my Gen Z teenage children seem to find sharing/talking about their faith in public far easier than I did when I was their
16
34
155
The mounting evidence for a ‘rebirth of belief in God’. Skeptics have argued that my thesis is purely anecdotal. But my new article for @spectator presents real data from the past year to show that the tide is turning. What do you think?.
27
29
153
Some said it would be an odd pairing, but I’m glad there’s so much love for the @RubinReport & @ProfJohnLennox show. One person said:. “This was a SUPERB match up in terms of picking the right guests for great synergy! Loved it!”. Watch/listen at
12
27
140
I also believe Holland’s journey reflects a wider turning of the secular tide in the West, a phenomenon I document in my book (and podcast series) The Surprising Rebirth of Belief in God. The New Atheists of the early 2000s – led by Richard Dawkins, Sam Harris, Christopher
4
6
152
Feeling flat when you worship? These pages from CS Lewis may help.
7
18
145
I was one among twelve thousand gathered to hear from @jordanbpeterson and his friends last night at London's O2 Arena. Here's my thoughts on how God figured in the conversation Peterson had with @DouglasKMurray , @PageauJonathan, @BjornLomborg & @benshapiro.
17
15
146
The Lady chapel at St Bart’s commemorates the only place in London where a Marian apparition is purported to have occurred. Holland says that his desperate prayer was directed towards the virgin Mary. Holland says he was as surprised as anyone that this was the circumstance to
2
18
144
I'd love to have you on my show to debate this Prof Roberts. I know plenty of intelligent, scientifically-minded people who believe the opposite.
Just a little reminder today. Dead people - don’t come back to life.
12
4
145