Summarised by Centrist
Teenagers and young adults in the UK are turning away from atheism, with just 13% of Gen Z (18-24) identifying as atheists—half the rate of their middle-aged parents, according to a new poll of 10,000 people.
Gen Z has become the most spiritual age group, with 62% describing themselves as “very” or “fairly” spiritual.
However, this spirituality doesn’t necessarily signal a return to traditional religions like Christianity or Islam. Despite Gen Z’s openness to spirituality, traditional religions may struggle to capitalise on this trend, as younger generations redefine faith and belief systems in a modern, personal context. It is often expressed through mindfulness, nature, astrology, and practices like using crystals.
Freya Stewart-Williams, 20, shared how her work in a Covent Garden crystal shop revealed a strong interest among her peers in “healing” and “calming” gemstones. She noted, “With TikTok and social media, there was a massive trend for it during the first lockdown.”
While 54% of all respondents identified as Christian, only 14% said they worship regularly or follow the authority of faith leaders.
Census data reflects this decline in traditional religion, with the proportion of Christians in England and Wales dropping to 46.2% in 2021. Meanwhile, those identifying as having “no religion” more than doubled, from 15% in 2001 to 37.5% in 2021.