Surprising Surge Of Young Americans Turn To Religion
The text discusses how believing in God can provide someone with a reason for living and hope.
In America, the story of religion has been one that is characterized by a growing disaffection among younger generations. A new study shows that faith is on the rise among young people in an era post-Covid.
Covid was a time of awakening for some young adults. The world around them crumbled. The young adults were searching for a higher power in order to survive the lockdowns, controlled destruction of the economy and watching their loved ones and close friends contract Covid-19.
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According to the
Wall Street Journal
A new study, commissioned by Springtide Research Institute, found that about one third of 18 to 25-year-olds believed in a greater power. This is up from a quarter in 2021. These findings are based on December polling data.
Church leaders and young people attribute the increased faith to the belief in a greater power during the Covid Crisis:
The pandemic was a first-time crisis for many young people. Everyone was affected to some extent, whether it be the loss of friends and family or uncertainty in their jobs and everyday life. It has aged many young Americans, and they now turn to the same comforts that previous generations used to heal and comfort themselves during tragedies. --WSJ
Darryl Roberts, pastor of Nineteenth Street Baptist Church, Washington, D.C., says that the pandemic, unemployment, inflation, as well as the increasing economic concerns, have left many young people feeling vulnerable. They are now turning to God for help.
Abigail Visco Rusert is an associate dean of Princeton Theological Seminary, and a Presbyterian Church ordained minister.
Rabbi Nicole Guzik, of Los Angeles, said that more young adults than ever are attending services on Friday nights at the synagogue. She said:
I think that this group has a strong need to be socially and spiritually connected.
The pandemic is the first time many young people have faced a crisis while working and without the support of their parents.
Becca Bell, a college student of 18 years from Peosta in Iowa, said that believing in God gives you "a reason to live and some hope."
Could it be that the rising disaffiliation from religion among Americans has finally reached a plateau after years of increasing?