Mecca Castillo

According to the Fetzer Institute, a non-profit organization that emphasizes’ spirituality as a global movement, more people are turning away from traditional religion and towards spirituality. Fetzer states in recent decades, a growing number of Americans have indicated that they are more spiritual than religious. The more spiritual than religious groups rose from 18.5% of American adults in 1998 to 33.6% in 2020. Religiosity in decreasing as new generations emerge and atheism, agnostic, and “I don’t know” are becoming the dominant views.

Spirituality is defined by Oxford dictionary as being concerned with the human spirit or soul as opposed to material or physical things, while religion is described as the belief in and worship of a superhuman power or powers, especially a God or gods. Although the two terms have separate definitions they often are conflated together. 

Although the majority of young Americans are still religious, across generations there has been a steady decline according to the referenced study. But why?

A More Personalized Path 

Those who desire a more personalized path of faith tend to be spiritual in a non-traditional way. According to the National Institutions of Health, reasons why people may be moving away from traditional religion is the need for subjectivity. Spirituality is a subjective human journey to find purpose or meaning beyond anything physical while religion is often described as a set of beliefs and practices within a defined group with an emphasis on one or multiple Gods (NIH). 

Lamar Robinson, a 19 year-old and non-denominational Christian, adds, “I personally find myself in tune with spirituality in terms of how it’s defined. While I’m still religious, go to church, and partake in bible study, I would like to take a path in which I decide for myself how I interpret and therefore act upon through my religion.” 

However, it is important to note that these terms are not mutually exclusive, rather they are two ideas of Faith that can exist separately or be intertwined. Morgan Shipley, a researcher for the Daily Mining Gazette states, “Shifts away from traditional religious membership doesn’t simply mean Americans are rejecting religion. Rather, they are exploring an ever-evolving spectrum of spirituality.” 

Youssef Elourdighi, a 20 year old Penn state student who describes himself as agnostic, expands of this idea of spiritual spectrum, “I think they exist in the same general area as philosophy and science. There are many ads to cope with the universe around us and try to understand it, and they are not all mutually exclusive.”

Rejection of Institutions

According to PEW Research Center younger people are less likely to give full trust to organizations and large institutions, this includes churches There is also common controversy about abuse within churches. A majority of American, religious or not, are aware of this problem, PEW. This unfortunate reality influences how young people see religion. Those who wish to not relate to religion turn to alternative spirituality as means to maintain their faith. Elourdighi comments, “Organized religion generally serves some kind of agenda and has placated people into a manner of patterns that have delayed progress. Faith should come from independent understanding or equal and fair conversation, not a guiding hand.” 

Religious Relevance  

Another factor to take into consideration is that more young people are just not as connected to religious obligations or strive toward traditional religiosity as older gens before them were. According to the American Survey Center there has been a consistent decline across generations with Gen Z being the “least religious generation” 

Eriq Pierre, a 24 year old agnostic, states, “I am only religious by chance. I was born into my family and I went with that[religion]. If I was born in a different country I would be whatever the major religion was. I still believe in god, but don’t think anybody [on earth] has it ‘right’.” 

Data from PEW suggests that the decline in religiosity will continue in the next 50 years. However, young people will continue to diversifying what it means to be spiritual. Seeking out alternative ways of faith and understanding of life.