Understanding Gen Z’s religious faith is an exercise in contradictions.
By far, 18-to-29-year-olds are the least religious age group in the United States. However, while often portrayed as the most progressive generation, Gen Z has slowed the deviation from institutional religion demonstrated by millennials. In fact, traditional forms of Christianity, like Catholicism and Orthodoxy, boast a growing young membership.
These traditional forms of Christianity appear antithetical to the desires of a seemingly progressive generation, especially one straying further from religion. It’s hard to imagine the stereotypical member of Gen Z committing to their highly patriarchal structure, ancient doctrine, conservative moral teaching and staunch resistance to modernity, but more young people are turning to these churches.
Understanding this shift in religious belief is essential to making sense of their larger desires, values and fears.
Religious studies professor Chad Seales specializes in North American religion. He argues that trends in religious belief are cyclical and serve as reactions to broader changes in social, economic or political conditions.
“It’s pretty chaotic times,” Seales said. “You could probably say that for any generation, in some ways — World War II, the Civil Rights Movement, Vietnam, the Gulf Wars. There’s always been volatility that, right now with huge issues, are becoming more (prominent) in our consciousness, like climate change, droughts, fires and COVID.”
Considering the chaos that has marked Gen Z’s coming of age, it makes sense that religious tradition serves as a means of comfort and security.
“In any time of crisis, most human beings will go to look for security in some way,” Seales said. “Conservative or traditional religions, religions that have clear rules (and) clear boundaries, can oftentimes be a safe haven and give meaning and purpose in times of chaos.”
This shift in religious belief comes alongside a shift in political affiliation. Gen Z’s rising conservatism is often understood outside explicit discussions of tradition in a religious context. Instead, critics point to growing numbers of young Republican voters, online figures pushing alt-right ideology, the mobilization of young conservative activists on college campuses and the adoption of lifestyle changes ranging from wearing modest clothing to rejecting contraception.
However, religion is often at the root of this phenomenon. For example, the Catholic church has an explicit stance on issues like divorce, abortion, contraception, same-sex marriage and gender roles — which is echoed in conservative platforms hoping to resonate with young people.
Biology junior Marilyn Garcia has been a Catholic her whole life and noticed more young people attending her church and returning to religion. She views the growth of the Catholic church positively, but tradition isn’t necessarily a focus of her own faith.
“How I grew up with my religion has dictated how I think politically, but not in the way that a lot of people use it,” Garcia said. “I know a lot of people are, at least in the Catholic church, against abortion and everything, (which is) why they identify more with Republicans. But I’m Catholic, and I don’t have those same beliefs. It’s more so about people for me.”
The contrasting religious experiences of lifelong Catholics and new converts are also reflected in their political affiliation. According to a Pew Research profile, converts are somewhat more likely than “cradle Catholics” to describe themselves as Republicans or to lean toward the Republican Party (60% vs. 52%). Also, 13% of converts, the second-highest portion of those surveyed, attributed their conversion to the church’s historical foundation and teachings.
Just as religion is often seen as being central to political conservatism, so is the notion of preserving tradition. While Protestant churches are frequently accused of softening their stances on divisive issues, traditional churches rarely do. For many, that’s the appeal.
Gen Z’s religious beliefs — and consequently, their conservative politics — are rooted in their need for stability, structure and purpose. The nostalgic appeal of tradition, especially when coupled with the dedicated community and spiritual life that these churches offer, seems to be the perfect antidote to change. They offer refuge in the face of an ever-evolving world and the dissatisfaction of modern life — and their growth is key to understanding Gen Z.
We face the same fears, come from the same circumstances and are invested in the same future. The better we understand what our beliefs are rooted in, the more equipped we’ll be to understand each other.
Tuscano is a government sophomore from Round Rock, Texas.
