YOUTH HAVE LITTLE FAITH IN RELIGIOUS INSTITUTIONS Young people and faith: a by-gone connection, or lots of potential?

BY SUSANNE JANSSEN

Our religious demographics are changing –more and more people identify as “nones,” meaning they don’t belong to any specific religion. Among others, the Catholic Church was hit hard by the abuse scandal and its cover-ups, which caused an enormous decrease in trust in the institutional Church.

Yet there is a spiritual hunger in young people today. The situation is often more complex than it seems at first sight. Consider two recent statements by one of America’s most prolific religious demographers, Daniel Cox. On the one hand, in a report examining Gen Z’s (those born between 1997 and 2012) religious attendance and affiliation trends, he wrote: “In terms of identity, Generation Z is the least religious generation yet.” But: “Increasingly, religious affiliation may tell us less about the full range of religious and spiritual experiences Americans have and the extent of their theological commitments.”

Young people today express religiosity and spirituality but in ways that defy traditional polling measures. According to Springtide Research, a nonpartisan nonprofit institute, an institute that examines the religiosity of young people, the majority of America’s “least religious generation” identifies as religious (68%) or spiritual (77%).

Those who believe in a higher power or a personal God are rising: About one-third of 18-to-25-year-olds say they believe—more than doubt—the existence of a higher power. Based on December polling, the findings are part of an annual report on the state of religion and youth from the Springtide Research Institute.

Different religious and social experiences

The parents of millennials and Generation Z did less to encourage regular participation in formal worship services and model religious behaviors for their children than had previous generations. Many childhood religious activities that were once common, such as saying grace before meals or attending Church on Sunday, have become more of the exception than the norm.

If someone had robust religious experiences growing up, they would likely maintain those beliefs and practices into adulthood. Without strong religious backgrounds to draw on, Americans feel less connected to the traditions and beliefs of their parent’s faith. And there is little evidence to suggest that disaffiliated Americans will ever return. First, the age at which Americans choose to give up their families’ religion—most well before they turn 18— suggests that they have not established a deeply rooted commitment to a set of religious beliefs and practices.

The brutal numbers: 34% of Generation Z are unaffiliated to any religion. In comparison: 29% of Millennials (born between 1981 – 1996) are unaffiliated, 25% of Generation X (1965 – 1980), 18% of Baby Boomers (1946 – 1964) and 9% of the Silent Generation (1928 - 1945).

What are the reasons?

The first answer many people come up with is that society and secular tendencies are the culprits. The mainstream pop culture or values expressed in movies are often opposed to the teachings of the Catholic Church.

Yet this answer does only cover a part. Is the Church reaching out to young people on a personal basis? Young people need accompaniment from trustworthy adults. Just 1% of the youth told Springtide that a faith leader reached out to check in with them as pandemic shutdowns began.

In the current – often brutal numbers – there are many opportunities. Americans who leave their formative religion report more significant personal hardship than those raised—and remain—religious. 23% of former Catholics say that they often feel lonely and isolated.

As mentioned above, the crisis caused by the Abuse of minors calls for transparency and openness. Springtide says that over 75% of young people identify as religious or spiritual. But 50% are not turning to faith communities during stressful moments due to a lack of trust in the people and organized religion. Building trust starts with being authentic, coherent, and listening to young people’s concerns.

Signs of hope

The timing of when Americans have given up their childhood religious commitments has changed across generations. Among young adults (age 18 to 29) today, roughly three-quarters (74%) report that they were age 17 or younger when they no longer identified with their formative religion, including about one in four who say they left before their teenage years. This enables them to rediscover a religion that they never fully got to know or never even heard of during their college years, and therefore underlines the importance of campus ministry like the Newman Centers.

Still, most teens share the religion of their parents or legal guardians. And among the main religious dominations, Catholic teens are the most likely to identify as Catholics (81%, according to Pew Research 2020. Eighty percent of teens with evangelical parents identify as Evangelicals, but only 54% of teens with parents who are mainline protestants remain mainline protestants.

This highlights the role of parents or other family members as role models. Around four-in-ten teens and parents say they attend services at least once or twice a month. And perhaps because attending religious services tends to be a family activity, the vast majority (88%) of parents who say they regularly attend religious services also have a teen who reports attending that often.

Still, the U.S. are more religious than other Western nations: 55% of Americans, for example, pray daily, compared to an average of 22% of Europeans. This number might be even higher in Texas than in other states.

Room for improvement

Just as during the pandemic, when young people felt left alone, youth ministers can try different ways to connect with young people. Teens are less likely than their parents to pray daily (27% vs. 48%), to believe in God with absolute certainty (40% vs. 63%) and to consider religion “very important” in their lives (24% vs. 43%). What can bring them closer to God? Here, creativity is critical: prayer services or adoration might be a good way for some. Others might get interested in faith through service projects, music, or activities that combine fun and reflection on more profound questions.

Being non-affiliated with any religion does not mean Gen Z’s are less spiritual. According to Pew Research, religious “nones” are even more likely than other teens to report feeling a deep sense of wonder about the universe. However, they are less likely to feel gratitude, a deep sense of spiritual peace and wellbeing, and think about the meaning and purpose in life. If young people see how adults – young and older – are enriched by their faith and find guidelines for a happy and meaningful life, they will find that “something more” that makes them search for God, who speaks in their hearts and calls them.