A new study has found that among members of Generation Z in the United Kingdom, Catholics now outnumber Anglicans 2 to 1. Source: CNA.
This is part of a pattern observed across all age groups whereby participation in Catholicism has risen in recent years while Anglicanism has declined, the research found.
A report from the Bible Society, a UK charity that translates and distributes the Bible worldwide, found that the practice of Christianity in general is growing in the UK after decades of decline, driven by a growing participation of young adults, and young men in particular.
The study, based on YouGov surveys commissioned by the Bible Society, also concluded that many young people are seeking community and belief in God, and that in an age of poor mental health, distraction, and fragmentation wrought by social media, many are interested in prayer and in the Bible.
“The results of this thorough and robust study demonstrate that over the space of only six years, there has been a significant growth in the numbers of people going to church; Christians are practicing their religion more intentionally; more young people are finding faith; more people are reading the Bible,” the report’s introduction reads.
According to the report, the youngest group studied is now the second most likely group in the UK to attend church, with 16 per cent of 18- to 24-year-olds saying they are monthly churchgoers compared with 19 per cent of those over age 65.
In addition, over a fifth of men aged 18 to 24 (21 per cent) now say they are attending church monthly, higher than their female peers at 12 per cent.
Among those 18- to-24-year-olds, only 20 per cent of churchgoers identify as Anglican, down from 30 per cent in 2018, compared with 41 per cent identifying as Catholic and 18 per cent as Pentecostal.
The report’s authors, painting a hopeful picture for the future, concluded that Gen Z is more spiritually engaged than most other living generations, and that this openness presents a significant opportunity for outreach and engagement.
FULL STORY
Catholics now outnumber Anglicans among Gen Z in the UK, study suggests (By Jonah McKeown, CNA)
