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THE SPIRITUAL WORLD AROUND US: A fundamental shift begins as younger generations move towards spirituality over established religious institutions.
By: Laura Hernandez, Staff Writer
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AT FIRST GLANCE, ONE’S religious association is not outwardly apparent. As a new age begins in, the pre-existing religious narrative has begun to shift. Newer generations are starting to transition from organized religion to self constructed beliefs due to the freedom which religious structures cannot always grant them.
Generations today are more open with their beliefs and are getting more involved in societal matters and lesser so with religious ones, as per a study conducted by Florida State University where Generation Z described their church or temple involvement as either “not too,” or “not at all” important, both ranking at 27%.
Religion may be multiple things to an individual like a safe philosophy, a familial connection or what brings meaning to human existence. Generally, religion today is an institutionalized or personal set of religious beliefs, practices and attitudes which are systemized and followed by groups of people who share these beliefs.
Conversely, spirituality is the personal and private worship one dictates and follows in their search for life’s meaning and a connection with the soul. Both spirituality and religion link to one another — to be religious or spiritual one must believe and have faith, but these groups are separated in terms of organization and composition.
“I don’t think any religion is intrinsically hateful but that tends to be how most organized religions are portrayed. Gen Z is a very open and unapologetic generation and some religions seem to have very strict rules that I assume wouldn’t sit well with them” junior Alina Astacio said.
Religion is the belief in and worship of a superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods. An outward expression of religious faith is different from that of spirituality in the sense that they’re specifically mandated. Activities such as reading religious scriptures, studying and practicing the religion. though actions and going to church or temple are ways in which religious people may show their affiliation. This religious foundation, in turn, influences the behavior of all those that follow. However, youth today tend to gravitate towards defining the foundation of beliefs themselves.
Spirituality is an inner expression of faith where the person establishes a relationship with themselves, some higher power or God and unlike religion, spirituality has no rules to expression. It does have methods which may involve confidence in one’s own faith, free thought, active communication with oneself and others, often attracting those generations seeking these ideals.
Spirituality’s lack of rules and guidelines is appealing to those who want to independently manage their views and priorities without the assistance of a religious group. This freedom in turn boosts the popularity of spirituality among younger and more liberal generations, especially of those who wish to stray from paths of tradition. The individualistic mentality found in those practicing spirituality shapes them into people that are less focused on formalities and instead more fixed on one’s own presumptions of human nature.
“With secularization, the disconnect with institutionalized religion since the 1960s and the rise of social media, the range of spiritual options for Generation Z has increased. Nearly everyone wants meaning in their lives and youth especially look for the truth and that meaning,” Henry A. Green, Professor in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Miami, said. “Institutionalized religion provides dogmatic answers, which does not appeal to Generation Z and by not having life-experience, they are more open to spiritual options and it might be to elevate oneself in order to become a better human being.”
As newer generations gain access to more information, there is an increased desire for open-ended religious or spiritual constructs.
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DEEPER INTO THE SPIRIT
The unconfined nature of spirituality is a reason why young people may choose not to believe in one religion. Spirituality serves as an outlet for humans to follow their faith without constraints.
This is emphasized by a Generation Z report organized by the research company Barna in which 58% of youth today reported believing that there is not one true religion and that what may be true for them is not necessarily true for another individual. Since there are no set ways to practice spirituality, spiritual individuals may come up with their own ways to connect with their spirit and inner religion.
According to Stewart Bitkoff, a professional in therapeutic recreation, psychiatric rehabilitation and treatment, a person may increase and improve their spiritual development by helping and giving to others, like donating and volunteering, taking care of their physical body and dedicating 10 to 20 minutes per day to inward exploration which can be done through various spiritual disciplines, including prayer and meditation.
For each person these rituals or practices can be widely different. One may choose to pray in order to shape the mind and gain a sense of oneness within themselves and their environment. Often, praying is a daily occurrence where a person may reach out to a higher power, whether within themselves or not and call for advice, simple conversation or peace of mind. Meditation is usually done to increase m i n d f u l n e s s and detach from daily worries.
CURRENT ATTITUDES
Given youth’s dwindling connection to the Church, undefined spirituality has become a more viable option for Generation Z.
In a study conducted by Lifeway Research, 66% of those sampled had stopped attending church. With more than half of Gen Z saying church involvement is not important, it is apparent that modern religion is struggling to keep teenagers interested. However, those religiously affiliated maintain strong ties to their faith, through experiences such as mission trips and summer camps.
For those turning to spirituality, there are multiple degrees to this version of divine connection. The Pew Research Institute has reported that people are moreso seeking non-institutional platforms.
“I believe people are becoming less religious and it is due to how this recent generation is more accepting,” sophomore Ava Jackson said. “Many people in past generations were subjugated to personal limitations which led them to view a higher power and to hope that someone i s g u a r d i n g over them, which was why religion used to be powerful.”
GROUPS ON THE RISE
There are certain faith groups, like Atheism, skepticism and agnosticism, in which members are considered nonbelievers, a label given to those who don’t believe in a higher power or are secular, meaning not connected to religion or the church. Any one of these faith groups may be spiritual if the individual chooses so through spiritual faith which is the openness to spirituality without requiring a divine entity. These groups follow their own paths of belief that are flexible, with the underlying connection between all being that a divine entity may not exist, at least in the perspective of organized religion.
The popularity of these groups has skyrocketed the past decade as Ryan Burge, a political scientist at Eastern Illinois University and a Baptist pastor, found that 23.1% of Americans claim no religious involvement with a rise of religious nones (non-believers) which, he states, has grown 266% since 1991, close to 30 million in a decade. This signifies that more than ever people are shifting from religion to their own faith and spirituality.
Another survey, a 2019 review of religious landscapes in America done by the organization Pew forum says “…atheists now account for 4% of U.S. adults, up significantly from 2% in 2009; and 17% of Americans now describe their religion as ‘nothing in particular,” therefore broadcasting the significant amount of adults shifting from religion to other forms of conducting their faith or worship spiritually.
“Spiritualism is a way for people to feel connected to more than just themselves and so they can be a part of a cause much greater than what they already believe,” junior Andre Eguigure said. “People may lose their religion and become non-believers because they may not find their religion as promising. These groups, I think, would like to experience a different type of faith to see if it meets their expectations”. h
by the numbers
highlights surveyed 354 students in Febuary 2020 to determine the student body’s take on the generational shift.
31.1% of students consider themselves as solely religious, 24% as spiritual, 20.1% as both and 24.9% as neither. Out of the religious students, 42.4% identify as Christian. 75.1% of students have noticed a generational shift away from traditional religious systems and toward spirtiuality.
Out of the religious students, 42.4% identify as Christian.
75.1% of students have noticed a generational shift away from traditional religious systems and toward spirtiuality.
