A brand new survey has discovered proof of excessive ranges of religion dedication amongst younger believers within the UK.
The Whitestone ballot was commissioned by the Institute for the Influence of Religion in Life (IIFL) and surveyed 2,064 UK adults about their attitudes to religion.
Non secular younger individuals aged 18 to 24 are extra doubtless than non secular individuals over 65 to say that their religion has a big impression on their lives (69% vs. 51%).
Nearly three-quarters (72%) of spiritual younger individuals say their religion is their solely actual faith, in comparison with round a 3rd (35%) of spiritual over-65s.
Greater than three-quarters (78%) of spiritual younger individuals mentioned their religion formed their ethical values, falling to only over two-thirds (68%) amongst non secular over-65s.
Younger non secular Britons have been additionally extra prone to have mates with a religion or perception apart from their very own (76% vs. 53%) and have been additionally extra open to altering their religion in comparison with older generations (45% vs. 22%).
Charlotte Littlewood, IIFL senior researcher, mentioned the outcomes pointed to a “resurgence of religion amongst younger individuals”.
“The outcomes confirmed that whereas legally and politically the UK is on a common course of secularisation, British youth are extra non secular than these half a century older,” she mentioned.
“Religion has a better worth, significance and impression for Gen Z in comparison with earlier generations. It seems that they search God extra and are extra zealous of their religion as a result of most of them imagine that their religion is the one true faith. “
She added: “Total, we’re witnessing what seems to be a resurgence of religion among the many youth whereas upholding the values of tolerance, maybe some much-needed excellent news at a time when headlines are filled with reviews of rising inter-religious tensions.”
Nevertheless, different surveys by the IIFL indicated a “disaster of confidence” amongst Christians, with greater than a 3rd (38%) preferring to not inform individuals about their religion, in comparison with 29% of Muslim respondents.
Solely round 1 / 4 of Christians (28%) have been “exclusivists” (believing that their religion is the one true faith), far fewer than Muslims (83%), which the IIFL says suggests “a excessive stage of cultural Christianity amongst this group within the UK “.
Solely half of Christians mentioned their religion helped them discover that means in life, in contrast with 88% of Muslims, 70% of Hindus and 80% of Buddhists, though this rose to 87% amongst “unique” Christians.
The survey additionally discovered declining recognition of the position of Christianity in British tradition, falling from 74% amongst over-65s to lower than half (46%) amongst 18 to 24-year-olds.
