The Surprising Reason Gen Z is Leaving Traditional Religion
By Jamieson Taylor
Gen Z is turning away from traditional religious institutions, but it’s not because they don’t consider themselves to be religious. They are not losing their faith. A fascinating new report from Springtide Research Institute shows that a major reason why young people are leaving traditional religious institutions is because they do not see their values reflected by those institutions.
The State of Religion & Young People 2021 is the result of a year of research into the beliefs, practices, values, and relationships of young people ages 13-25 (Gen Z). The study, which included 10,274 surveys and 65 interviews, found that young people see a gap between what they care about and the values espoused and practiced by traditional religious institutions. The implications are enormous for religious leaders, who are just starting to rebuild communities after the disruptions of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Despite some discouraging trends, there are also clear signs of hope. By understanding the nature of this values gap and how young people are maintaining their faith apart from institutions, faith leaders can find practical and authentic ways to earn the trust of Gen Z.
Distrust
Springtide’s report found that although the majority of young people consider themselves at least slightly religious (71%) or spiritual (78%), most aren’t turning to religious institutions in times of difficulty or uncertainty. Only 16% of young people report turning to “someone from [their] faith community” during a challenging time, the same percentage as those who turned to “no one.” Of those who identify as “very religious,” less than half (40%) found connecting with their faith community to be helpful during challenging or uncertain times.
That lack of trust comes from a perception that such institutions are unsafe places to find support during a crisis. 54% of young people report that “Religious communities try to fix my problem, instead of just being there for me,” while 45% report that they don’t feel safe within religious institutions. Nearly four in ten (39%) report that they’ve been harmed by religion or a religious leader in the past.
Gen Z does not believe that their faith communities are safe people, a tough reality for older generations of faith leaders to confront.
Disconnection
Sizable numbers of religious young people reported they’re not part of a religious community. The numbers ranged from 32%-45% of young Protestants, Catholics, Jews, Hindus, Latter-Day Saints, and Buddhists. These young people are still religious and are profoundly helped by their faith in their daily lives, but only 23% say they attend religious services on a weekly basis or more. Sadly, the disconnect goes both ways. Only 10% of young people say a faith leader reached out to them personally during the first year of the pandemic. Reconnection will take some planning and intention.
Unbundled Faith
How are religious young people distancing themselves from formal religious groups without losing their faith altogether? A portrait emerges in this report of a new type of faith practice, one that is not bound to one tradition or institution. Springtide calls it “faith unbundled.”
Faith unbundled describes the way young people increasingly construct their faith by combining elements from a variety of religious and non-religious sources, rather than receiving all these things from a single, intact system or tradition. Taking a wide view, this could be considered a healthy strategy. All of their religious, emotional, and social support isn’t dependent on alignment with one institution; all of their eggs aren’t in one basket.
Rebuild and Reconnect
The report suggests there are practical ways for faith leaders to rebuild and reconnect with young people. To rebuild trust, they can learn to validate their struggles while avoiding dismissive or minimizing language. They can avoid treating young people as projects, needing to be fixed or cured of their problems. Gen Z trusts authentic, patient compassion, a skill anyone can learn.
Reconnection may require more flexible thinking, specifically about a faith unbundled from traditional spaces. Young people find many activities spiritual besides just a service or midweek study. They are more likely to engage with art as a spiritual practice (53%) than prayer (45%); they are more likely to practice being in nature (45%) or meditation (29%) as spiritual practices than study a religious text (28%). Rather than see this as a barrier, faith leaders should consider meeting them in those spaces. Such cultural and social engagements could easily segway into a spiritual discussion, deepening connection, and building trust.
Gen Z is the largest generation on the planet. Faith leaders simply can’t afford to ignore them. Beyond practicing compassion and finding spaces to reconnect, it can help to build up your admiration for this generation. These young people are holding on to their faith and showing such resilience in these uncertain times. Faith leaders who see them as admirable in this generation are likely to have the most success hearing their concerns and reconnecting with them.
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Jamieson Taylor is a media relations intern for Springtide Research Institute.
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