Gen Z are more receptive to religion and spirituality than millennials
The public is divided in their attitudes towards the Catholic Church, but young adults are more approving of religion than the generation before them, a new poll has revealed.
The Iona Institute survey found that 18-to-24-year-olds ('Gen Z') are somewhat more favourable towards religion and spirituality than those aged 25-35 ('millennials').
Some 17% of 18-to-24-year-olds say they are religious compared with just 5% of millennials, while 54% from Gen Z say they are religious and/or spiritual compared with 46% of millennials. Pic: Getty Images
After Gen Z, the cohort identifying most strongly as religious was the 65-plus group at 16%.
In addition, members of Gen Z are more likely to read spiritual or religious books, watch spiritual or religious content and follow individuals on social media who discuss spirituality and religion than 25-to-34-year-olds.
The CEO of the Iona Institute, David Quinn, told Extra.ie he believes that young people's interest in religion is part of a search for purpose. Christian, Catholic, Chapel, Prayer Service. Pic: Getty images
'It could be that secular society isn't really offering satisfying answers. A recent study found that Irish teens are among the least happy in Europe, so it could be a response to rising levels of social anxiety,' he said.
'In America, they are seeing what's been called a 'quiet revival' in church attendance among young people.'
The poll also shows that the public has differing attitudes towards Christianity on the one hand and the Catholic Church on the other. Some lit up candles at a church. Pic: Getty Images
Half of the respondents to the poll said they have a positive view of Christianity, with 20% saying they have a negative view, and the rest in between.
Only 27% of people have a favourable view of the Catholic Church overall, with 40% saying they have an unfavourable view, although 45% agree that Catholic teachings are still of benefit.
'When people think of the Catholic Church, they think of hierarchy and the cover-ups, but when they think of Catholic teachings, they think of something different. It could take a while for approval in the Church to rise again,' Mr Quinn said.
The poll found that 27% of people say they would be happy if the Catholic Church vanished from Irish society completely, with 51% disagreeing with that stance and 21% neutral.
Unsurprisingly, regular Mass-goers have by far the most positive view of the Church, while those who do not consider themselves Catholic at all have the most negative. 'Cultural Catholics' – those who say they are Catholic but rarely attend Mass – are somewhere in between.
The poll found that 22% of respondents do not describe themselves as Catholic, which is roughly in line with Census 2022.
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