Welcome to my new blog. I’m exploring the complicated world of Gen Z and religion.
I grew up in church. In my family’s small Pentecostal church, I was that kid who spent more time in youth group than at home. I was a serial attendee: Two services on Sunday; one on Wednesday, and a spare on Thursdays. My parents hated how much I was gone, but I figured going to church was a good thing because I loved sermons, God, and all of the sweet, spiritual moments I had during worship.
Eventually, that passion turned into work. I was so dedicated to Christianity’s mission that I followed the pipeline from youth leader to a pastor. The church was my home — at least that’s what I thought. When I was 21 and a director in the children’s ministry program, I was let go for coming out as queer. It left me shocked to know that the institution that I devoted at least 15 years to would so easily turn me away. This would have been my sobbing tale of loss a few years ago, but now I look back at this knowing it was a catalyst for the deconstruction of my faith.
Deconstruction, as defined by The Sofia Society, is the “taking apart of an idea, practice, tradition, belief, or system into smaller components in order to examine their foundation, truthfulness, usefulness, and impact.” In short, it’s taking an inventory of your faith to understand it objectively, if that’s possible.
This blog will explore the nuances and research behind religious deconstruction, specifically western Christianity, during a new wave of the movement in Gen Z. It’s been argued that Christian theology is a hindrance to pursuing values that are popular with Gen Z, such as LGBTQ+ rights, diversity and inclusion, and left-leaning politics. I’ll explore this and other areas of research, including family dynamics, progressive pushes in Christianity, atheism, and agnosticism.
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While I haven’t returned to Christianity, not all deconstruction experiences are painful or lead to someone leaving organized religion permanently. Christian rapper Lecrae argued in The Christian Post:
“Sometimes, you have to demolish a building that is mold-infested and then build something else on that foundation.”
Sometimes, the road to heaven is a long, twisted path with a lot of darkness.
According to Pew Research Center data, more than 50% of United States teenagers between 13 to 17 years old follow the faith, or lack thereof, of their family. But the data also shows that only 24% of teens say religion is important in their lives. There’s a clear disconnect between passion and routine. There are some possible reasons for this that I’ll dive into:
- Politics: A lot of conservatism is embedded in the Christian religion. Is there a correlation between Gen Z turning away from religion to embracing leftism?
- Geography: How does location play a role with religion — or your ability to break away from it?
- Declining attendance: What are churches lacking that Gen Z wants? What do churches have that Gen Z doesn’t want to engage in?
There often isn’t an easy solution for people leaving their faith. In this blog, it’s also my goal to learn about movements to keep and draw people to the church. What are churches doing to self-analyze, research, and grow into a structure that keeps the newer generation’s interest?
- The Flip Side: Some Presbyterian churches are LGBTQ+ affirming. How did that happen? Are other denominations becoming more inclusive?
- Changing Service Formats: Some Sunday services feel like more of a concert than a sermon. Where did that change come from, and has it been successful?
While I come to this topic with some personal knowledge, it is just that: personal. Religious deconstruction is a complicated experience for everyone, and that deserves to be explored by someone with at least some first-hand knowledge of how it works. Here’s to the journey.
