Digital Edition
Young and restless
07
Apr
Apr
How the church can build better relationships with Gen Z
Young people haven’t given up on life’s big questions, says this researcher.
The Springtide Research Institute has spent the past few years studying the religious inclinations and spiritual yearnings of what sociologists call Generation Z, young people born between 1996 and 2008. Many in this age group did not receive a religious grounding from their family, Springtide’s research shows. Still, they express a curiosity about the sacred, a yearning for community, and a willingness to learn about religious traditions.
Generally, though, Gen Z young adults say they don’t find what they are looking for in traditional places of worship. They feel passionately about many social issues such as race and gender equality, LGBTQ and immigration rights, gun reform, and reproductive rights. Yet some of these issues put them at odds with traditional religious teaching. As a consequence, many in this generation say they lack a sense of belonging. In this interview with correspondent Judith Valente, executive director Josh Packard discusses Springtide’s latest research findings and offers some recommendations on how religious leaders—and other people of faith—can build better relationships with Gen Z.