ARCHIVED: Youth Facts and Stats

Religion and spirituality

2001-2006

Topics

The Spirit of Generation Y, 2006
Religious affiliations of people in their 20s over the 25-year period between 1976 and 2001
USA youth and religion, 2001/2002
Young Australian churchgoers, 2001
1996 Census figures for young Australian churchgoers
Young Muslims in NSW, Australia, 1996 census
American study of religion and teenagers, 2003

The Spirit of Generation Y, 2006

Fewer than half of Australia's Generation Y (born 1976–90) identify with a traditional religion, a three-year study of youth spirituality in Australia has found.

The Spirit of Generation Y project (2003–06), conducted by Monash University, the Australian Catholic University and the Christian Research Association, found Generation Y relies on family and friends as the sources of its beliefs, values and social support. The study surveyed 1272 young Australians in their teens and 20s. Results from the nationally representative sample were compared with groups from Generation X (born 1961–75) and the 'Baby Boomer' generation (1946–60).
The study explored Generation Y's world views and values, sense of meaning and purpose in life, ways in which they found peace and happiness, involvement in traditional religions and alternative spiritualities, and the influences that shaped Generation Y's outlook and lifestyle.

Key findings from the study:

Belief: 48% of Gen Y participants believe in 'a god', 20% do not and 32% are unsure. Two-thirds of those who do not believe in a god, or are uncertain, believe in some kind of 'higher being or life-force'.

Spirituality: Three main strands of spirituality were identified among Gen Y participants: Christian (44%), Eclectic (17%) and Humanist (31%). 'Eclectic' spirituality indicates belief in two or more New Age, esoteric or Eastern beliefs and/or participation in alternative spiritual practices.
Social concern: 27% of Gen Y participants reported involvement in some form of volunteer work on a monthly basis. Participants actively involved in community service were likely to have spiritual and religious beliefs and actively practise them.

Influences: By virtue of their age, Gen Y participants were found to be more subject to the effects of the social forces shaping contemporary religion and spirituality (such as secularisation, the relativism of postmodernity, consumer capitalism and individualism) than those from older generations.

A summary report of the project's findings is available on the Australian Catholic University website [viewed 18/01/2007].

Sources:
Monash University 2006, Study reveals spirit of Australia's Generation Y, media release, 3 August, Monash University, viewed 11 August 2006.
Australian Catholic University 2006, National study of the 'spirituality' of Generation Y completed, media release, 3 August 2006, Australian Catholic University [viewed 18/01/2007].
Herald Sun, 4/8/06, p.16.
Sun Herald, 6/8/06, p.16.
Sunday Age, 6/8/06, p.6.
Adelaide Advertiser, 7/8/06, p.8.

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Religious affiliations of people in their 20s over the 25-year period between 1976 and 2001

Australian Bureau of Statistics article, Australian Social Trends, Population, People in their 20s: then and now, compares Australians in their 20s over the 25-year period between 1976 and 2001.
From the article:

• There was a shift in the religious affiliations of people in their 20s consistent with both the secularisation of our society generally and our increasingly multicultural community.

• People aged 20–29 years with no religious affiliation:

In 2001 – 23%
In 1976 – 14%

• People aged 20–29 years who regarded themselves as Christian:

In 2001 – 67%
In 1976 – 84%

• Conversely, higher proportions of people in their 20s in 2001 reported an affiliation with Buddhism, Hindu, and Islam than in 1976.

Source, Australian Bureau of Statistics, Australian Social Trends Population, People in their 20s: then and now [viewed 18/01/2007].

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USA youth and religion, 2001/2002

The ChildTrends Databank in the USA reports the following statistics on young people and religion.

Between 2001 and 2002, the percentage of 10th graders who reported that religion played a very important role in their lives increased from 32% to 35% (the highest percentage since 1991).

The percentage of 12th graders who felt that religion played an important role in their lives increased from 32% to 33% between 2001 and 2002.

Young people whose parents have graduated from college are much more likely than those whose parents have not attended college to attend religious services at least once a week. For example, in 2002, about 50% of 10th graders whose parents had completed college attended religious services regularly, compared with 28% of 10th graders whose parents had not completed high school.

Source: Services Attendance, ChildTrends Databank 2004, Religiosity  and Religious [viewed 18/01/2008].

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Young Australian churchgoers, 2001

Percentage of church attendees in Australia, aged 15-29, 2001:
Pentecostal: ~30%
Baptist: 23%
Church of Christ: 22%
Catholic: 12%
Anglican: 11%
Uniting: 8%

Percentage of young church attendees who stated they were 'very satisfied' with their church:
15-18-year-olds: 23%
19-25-year-olds: 18%

About 435,000 churchgoers in more than 7,000 Christian churches from 19 different denominations in Australia were surveyed in May 2001. The National Church Life Survey 2001 indicated that young people have a preference for less traditional worship and that mainstream churches need to engage their young parishioners more. The survey has been conducted every 5 years since 1991 and is undertaken jointly by the Uniting Church Board of Mission, Anglicare NSW, and the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference.

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