‘I bought my first Bible.’
Those are the words of a twenty-something-year-old American woman, who recently rediscovered Christianity in the wake of Charlie Kirk’s assassination. There are plenty of others like her, attending service after an extended break, live-streaming their baptism or bar mitzvah, and purchasing holy texts with aesthetic covers to show off to their followers.
Would you believe me if I told you Bible sales are up 134 per cent over the past six years? That’s largely thanks to Gen Z. Once the most secular generation, 37 per cent of young people in the UK now believe in God. The figure shows a doubling in the faithful since 2021, with Gen Z’s level of faith even surpassing that of Baby Boomers.
Influencer’s Paradise
’At Easter last year, many churches reported it was their biggest Easter Sunday to date,’ Katherine Brown, Being Human engagement lead at the Evangelical Alliance, tells me of Gen Z’s church turnout. ‘Every week, we hear stories of young adults trying church and deciding to become Christians. The frequency of this has increased over the past year.’
She adds that while ‘we’re not seeing hundreds of new young adults show up to church,’ a ‘handful more’ is a more accurate description, ‘we would be confident in saying that the number of young adults exploring faith has risen’ because they have been ‘intrigued’ by Christian content online. Meanwhile, Mem Global, an organisation whose aim is to make Jewish learning accessible to those in their twenties and thirties, has seen an uptick in both the number of people registering to be Community Builders and run their own programs, and the number of people attending them.
’We offer a wide range of educational retreats throughout the year, and over time we’ve noticed that more and more people are applying,’ says Igal Entenberg, Associate Director for Jewish Education and Global Retreats.
He attributes this to ‘people seeking new frameworks of belonging’ and wanting to ‘explore their own identity.’ But he also talks of the impact of online influencers, stating that ‘content shared on social media’ has made spirituality ‘more accessible to an entire generation’ and encouraged young people to engage with religious teachings to ‘search for safe spaces, calm and a connection with the transcendent.’
Community and Contemplation
One of the main draws of religion is its sense of community. Growing up, Gen Z have been plagued by shallow conversations on group chats and phoney AI companionship. What they crave is genuine connections. As young people experience higher levels of loneliness than any other generation, places of worship offer the chance to meet new people and make friends. I cannot think of where else they would have the opportunity to do so. Pubs and cafes are closing, youth hubs have become a rarity, and more of us are working remotely. The spaces where youngsters might have once socialised are disappearing at an alarming rate. But churches, mosques and synagogues aren’t — though the exact number of young people making use of their services is hotly debated.
A report from Bible Society, which relied heavily on now retracted data from YouGov, claimed that 16 per cent of young people attended church monthly in 2024, up from a mere 4 per cent in 2018. However, YouGov has since issued a statement saying that ‘a number’ of its survey respondents were ‘fraudulent’ and the data unreliable. In fact, a more up-to-date study from Humanists UK suggests monthly churchgoing actually fell by 3 per cent during that timeframe. However, though fewer young people may be visiting traditional places of worship, it is evident that Gen Z have become increasingly ‘spiritually open’ in the way they choose to engage with the world, both online and offline.
One key factor that seems to draw the youth to religion is the fact that most religions seek to do good. Enlightenment is the bedrock of Buddhism. Sikhism advocates for equality and justice. Judaism encourages its followers to carry out mitzvot, or good deeds, while Dharma (right conduct) and Zakat (charity) are fundamental aspects of Hinduism and Islam, respectively. Plus, Christianity, the largest religion in the world, preaches a message of forgiveness and a duty to look after the needy. You can see why this philosophy of goodwill resonates with youngsters, who champion activism as they search for purpose in their lives beyond the screens.
’Young adults are aware that the world is not perfect and that they are not in control,’ Katherine explains. ‘In a transactional, consumeristic, quick-fix modern world, the appeal of ancient paths is understandable.’
Holy texts can offer meaningful guidance in an increasingly unstable world. Prayer is a welcome break from the incessant noise of social media, offering a moment for contemplation. In turbulent times, young people want something solid to cling to. Some find that comfort in a Higher Power.
‘We are living in times of war, climate change, identity crisis, and political and social polarisation, and […] young people seek in religion a kind of refuge, a safe space where they can feel a sense of belonging,’ says Igal, adding that these communities help ‘combat hyper-individualism or isolation.’
Is Politics at Play?
However, the resurgence of religion also coincides with growing youth support for far-right politics across Europe and North America. This is particularly true amongst young men, who are frequently exposed to conservative content with religious undertones in the digital world. Social-media-savvy Reform UK have pledged to ‘restore Britain’s Christian heritage.’ Meanwhile, numerous Christian influencers from the States have shot to stardom since Trump’s return to office. The 32 million posts under #ChristianTikTok are a testament to this. From the late Charlie Kirk, who frequently aired his dislike for feminists, to Jake Galluccio, who claimed that women shouldn’t be ‘dressing like [they are] single’ whilst holding a copy of the Bible, these Republican personalities talk about faith and politics as two inseparables. And their views are gaining popularity online.
’There [are] many notable figures who have been public about their exploration [of] Christianity, and a massive surge in online influencers talking about Christianity,’ says Katherine.
The majority of religious influencers use their platforms to spread positivity. However, a few bad apples seem intent on weaponising their beliefs to sow division. Could this distorted version of Christianity influence voters and bring with it a rollback of hard-earned rights? Let’s hope not. Some members of Gen Z are undoubtedly devout, pursuing religion to do good, better themselves and take back control of their lives. These are lessons we can all live by, regardless of our beliefs. But many other young people simply use faith as a way to combat loneliness and find hope amidst a barrage of depressing news. To quote Depeche Mode, they’re looking for ‘someone to hear [their] prayers, someone who cares.’
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