Why is Gen Z turning to religion?

Loneliness has become a defining feature of post-Covid youth. In a world increasingly shaped by screens and filtered through algorithms, young people report feeling more isolated, more anxious and less connected than any generation before them. 

Remote work is on the rise, and many young people in their mid-to-late twenties will have experienced the better part of their student years learning in a digital, off-site context. Religious spaces offer a respite from this isolated culture, by acting as what sociologists refer to as ‘third spaces’, a zone beyond home and work or school, where community is organic and consistent. 

Church offers solace for newcomers, ostensibly welcoming members from any and all backgrounds regardless of their religious history. Young people are finding that, when faced with personal struggles, a sense of loneliness, or loss more generally, that ‘people in church don’t get to reject you.’ 

But the details of Gen Z’s faith aren’t entirely straightforward. While the number of young people attending religious services has seen an increase, Christianity is still seeing relative decline overall in the West. 

While the number of atheists reported in the study was low, with just 13% of under 25s identifying as ‘non-religious’, the findings also suggest that Gen Z are seeking many ways to feed their spirituality beyond the church, including ‘enjoying nature’ and ‘mindfulness’ rather than ‘participating in religious practices.’ 

This correlates with figures from the Church of England, which show a third of UK churches have ‘zero children’ among their congregation. 

While 40% of under-25s in a recent UK survey identified as Christian, a notable 21% identified as Muslim – a figure that reflects both demographic change and spiritual curiosity. 

For some, Islam’s clarity and structure appeal in a chaotic world. For others, faith outside their family tradition represents a rejection of cultural Christianity, which many see as morally compromised or politically weaponised. 

As the Church Times reported earlier this year, Christian parents in Britain are increasingly struggling to pass down their beliefs – not necessarily because their children reject God, but because they reject the institutions representing Him.

This opens up a crucial distinction. While Gen Z may be open to belief, they’re less loyal to organised religion. They’re more likely to find faith through TikTok preachers than traditional sermons, and more invested in lived experience than formal doctrine.

In this sense, young people seem to be spiritually curious but institutionally cautious.