Are the Kids Alright? EPISODE 4: Why Gen Z is Leaving the Church with Ryan Burge
Nov 17, 2023
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Ryan Burge, an expert on generational and religious trends, discusses the declining religious engagement of Gen Z and the rise of atheism, agnosticism, and 'nothing in particular' affiliation. The chapter highlights the importance of institutions in mental health and well-being, the impact of trust in religious institutions, and the challenges of relocation for young people leaving the church.
Gen Z's lack of trust in institutions, including churches and religion, impacts their engagement with faith communities.
Young people's departure from religion is often a gradual fading away influenced by changing life circumstances.
More Gen Z women are leaving the church compared to men, possibly due to the hyper-masculinization of evangelicalism and rejection of traditional gender roles.
Deep dives
Gen Z's Distrust of Institutions
Ryan Burge discusses the growing trend of Gen Z's lack of trust in institutions, including churches and religion. This lack of trust can have an impact on their engagement with faith communities.
The Slow Slide Away from Religion
Burge explains that young people's departure from religion is often a slow slide rather than a radical rejection. This slow slide can be influenced by changing life circumstances and a gradual fading away from religious engagement.
The Gender Gap in Leaving the Church
Burge reveals that more Gen Z women are leaving the church compared to men. This gender gap may be connected to the recent hyper-masculinization of evangelicalism and the rejection of traditional gender roles.
The Need for Intelligent Presentation of Faith
According to Burge, many young people have not been exposed to an intelligent and meaningful presentation of Christian beliefs. There is a need for a coherent, reasoned explanation of faith that connects with their experiences and helps them navigate the world.
Building Trust with Young People
Burge highlights the importance of building trust with young people by having open conversations, embracing hard topics, and demonstrating the principles of faith in daily life. Trust is a key factor in engaging the next generation.
Whether you're a parent, a youth pastor, a teacher or a young person yourself, you've probably seen all of the headlines concerning Gen Z. Rates of depression and loneliness are surging, their relationship with technology is kind of troubling, and they are leaving the church in droves. We've talked about these trends a lot on the Holy Post, but we're not alone. Tenx10 is a new collaborative discipleship initiative whose mission is to make faith matter more for this younger generation. We've partnered with Tenx10 to create this series and to hear from experts in each episode about the challenges young people and those who care about them are facing. One of those experts is Ryan Burge, a political scientist, pastor, and Holy Post Pundit. He is known for his deep understanding of data about religion and 60 Minutes has called him one of the "leading data analysts on religion and politics" within the United States. Over the last few years he has written several great pieces about the religious trends among Gen Z. Phil Vischer sat down with Ryan to find out if the kids are going to be alright.
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