More Gen Zers in UK Open to Faith Than Other Age Groups, Study Shows
According to a new study by The Institute for the Impact of Faith in Life (IIFL), a majority of Gen Zers in the United Kingdom are showing a greater interest in religion than any other age group. The study found that 69 percent of respondents aged 18-24 believe their faith significantly impacts their lives, while only 51 percent of those older than 65 said the same thing, The Christian Post reports. Additionally, 72 percent of young adults in this age group shared that their religion helps them find purpose in life. On the other hand, 47 percent of those older than 65 said likewise.
One portion of the study revealed that 76 percent of 18 to 24-year-olds have friends with different faiths or beliefs, demonstrating a higher level of tolerance and acceptance among Gen Zs regarding religion as opposed to older generations with diverse friendship groups. Furthermore, almost half of Gen Z respondents (45 percent) showed openness to switching religious beliefs when compared to 22 percent of those older than 65.
The new survey also noted that Gen Zers are more likely to view faith as a positive force to life, including supporting the notion of politicians being their faith publicly and believe in the involvement of faith leaders in social and political matters. In contrast, only 36 percent of the general population agreed with this sentiment. When it came to religious respondents, 55 percent saw religion as a positive force, highlighting the generational divide in attitudes toward faith.
“The results have shown that whilst legally and politically the U.K. has been on a general course of secularization, British youth are more believing than those half a century their senior,” Littlewood said, according to Christian Today. “Faith is seen of higher value, significance, and impact to Gen Z compared with previous generations.”
The survey was conducted between 1st and 2nd May 2024, interviewing 2,064 UK adults online. The study echoed findings from previous studies conducted in the U.S. In 2022, The Survey Center on American Life found that young adults in the U.S. are less religiously affiliated than older generations, while those who are involved in religion usually show a strong devotion to their faith.
Meanwhile, a 2023 report showed that although younger generations of Americans are less religious and less engaged with the Bible than older generations, approximately half say that the Bible transformed their lives. Particularly, 49 percent of Gen Z adults aged 18 to 21 and 52 percent of those aged 22 to 26 agreed with the statement, “the message of the Bible has transformed my life.”
Photo credit: ©GettyImages/Peter Cade
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for CrosswalkHeadlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.
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