The Generation Gap in Religious Affiliation In terms of identity, Generation Z is the least religious generation yet. More than one-third (34 percent) of Generation Z are religiously unaffiliated, a significantly larger proportion than among millennials (29 percent) and Generation X (25 percent).
A report from OCAD University revealed that 73% of Gen Z believe they need more self-expression to live a happy, healthy life. Before social media, a person expressed themselves by how they dressed, how they wore their hair, where they worked, the car they drove and the music they listened to, among other things.
Depending on whether religious switching continues at recent rates, speeds up or stops entirely, the projections show Christians of all ages shrinking from 64% to between a little more than half (54%) and just above one-third (35%) of all Americans by 2070.
75% of Gen Z are single. 44% of millennials are married. Millennials spend an average of two hours a day on dating apps. 74% of millennials and Gen Zers use dating apps.
Seventy-three percent of Gen Z report feeling alone either sometimes or always—the highest level of any generation. The mental health challenges experienced by Gen Z are like nothing any other generation has faced.
As a result, according to the Pew Research projections, by 2050 there will be near parity between Muslims (2.8 billion, or 30% of the population) and Christians (2.9 billion, or 31%), possibly for the first time in history.
America's Christian majority is shrinking, and could dip below 50% by 2070 The U.S.'s Christian majority has been shrinking for decades. A Pew Research Center study shows that as of 2020, about 64% of Americans identify as Christian. Fifty years ago, that number was 90%.
More recent study published in 2022 by Pew Research Center, have found a retention rate among American Christians closer to 67%, and cited that the decline of Christianity is primarily due to people leaving Christianity and choosing to have no religious affiliation (rather than due to people converting to other ...
They are pragmatic and value direct communication, authenticity and relevance. They also value self-care. They may be more likely than older people were when they were the age of the Gen Zers to question rules and authority because they are so used to finding what they need on their own.
Eighty percent of Gen Z wants to get married at some point. Getting hitched is just no longer the nucleus of life. They see the historic problems within the institution and are ballsy enough the try and fix them—in their own way, of course.
The book began with a video series we created that went viral in early 2019. The idea was simple: take the words in everyday life and Bible verses we have all heard before and translate them into funny and sometimes made up Gen Z lingo.
More Than a Third of Gen Z Identifies as Religiously Unaffiliated. It's not only a lack of religious affiliation that distinguishes Generation Z. They are also far more likely to identify as atheist or agnostic. Eighteen percent of Gen Z affirmatively identify as either atheist (9 percent) or agnostic (9 percent).
Economic values
In a 2018 Gallup poll, 51% of Americans aged 18 to 29—young Millennials and older Gen Z—have a positive view of socialism, compared to 45% having a positive view of capitalism.
One survey found that nearly 40% of Gen Z believes that astrology can help them to make better financial decisions – and the astrology-specific platforms are rising in popularity. A Co-Star representative told TIME magazine that their app was downloaded “every three to four seconds” in the US.
Decline in Christian affiliation
The number of people affiliated with Christianity in Australia decreased from 12.2 million (52.1%) in 2016 to 11.1 million (43.9%) in 2021. This decrease occurred across most ages, with the largest decrease for young adults (18-25 years).
Christianity. The world's largest religion, Christianity, is practiced by about 2.4 billion people. The country with the highest number of practicing Christians is the United States, with a Christian population of 253 million.
“There are growing numbers of atheists/agnostics in countries across the world,” said Dr Lanman. “Our recently completed 'Understanding Unbelief' programme looked beyond the stereotypes and helped to document some of the world's rich diversity in atheism and agnosticism.
For all of these reasons – psychological, neurological, historical, cultural and logistical – experts guess that religion will probably never go away. Religion, whether it's maintained through fear or love, is highly successful at perpetuating itself. If not, it would no longer be with us.
Muslims to overtake Christians after 2070
Beyond that, Muslim population will emerge as the largest in the world. Most other religions are also expected to grow, but at a slower rate than Muslim population. As a result, their percentage share in world population will decline.
The religion's demographic has been dwindling since the 1990s, the report said, as many adults transition to an identity of atheist, agnostic or "nothing in particular." In the early '90s, about 90% of people in the U.S. identified as Christians, the report said.
While 83 percent of people born between 1928 and 1945 (dubbed “the Silent Generation”) were married by age 37, researchers predict that Gen Z - born between 1997 and 2012 - are marrying far less.
Gen Z's economic concerns stem from the fear of accruing debt, limited job opportunities and the difficulty of finding affordable housing. These concerns have been exacerbated by the financial insecurity many young people and their families have faced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The research, conducted in June through December 2020, focused on Gen Z parents (20-24 years-old).