The Next Generation of Faith: A Paradigm Shift
The Institute for the Impact of Faith in Life’s latest report, The Next Generation of Faith: Journeys, Meaning and Wellbeing, reveals a profound generational shift in how faith is experienced and understood in Britain. Among 18–34-year-olds, faith is increasingly seen not as a social inheritance but as a personal journey tied to emotional and mental wellbeing. This contrasts with older generations who continue to view faith as a stable, inherited framework for life. The report highlights how younger adults are more likely to engage with faith through digital platforms, seek personal transformation, and leave religious communities when they feel unsupported—signaling a more autonomous and emotionally driven approach to spirituality.
The report, authored by Rania Mohiuddin-Agir, draws on extensive survey data and offers a nuanced portrait of a generation reimagining faith on its own terms. It underscores the need for religious institutions and communities to adapt—not only to the digital habits of younger people but also to their emotional and existential needs.
Key Findings
In a time of rapid cultural and societal change, the role of faith in personal and communal life is undergoing a transformation—especially among younger generations. A new study released this week explores how Britons aged 18–34 are reshaping the meaning and purpose of religious belief.
The report finds that younger adults are increasingly approaching faith not as a tradition passed down through family or community, but as a personal tool for emotional resilience and mental health. This marks a significant departure from older generations, who tend to view faith as a source of stability and a lens through which to interpret the world. For older adults, faith remains a holistic and inherited worldview; for younger people, it is more fragmented, individualized, and therapeutic.
Among the most common reasons cited by 18–24-year-olds for entering or deepening their faith are a personal connection with the divine, a search for meaning and moral clarity, and a desire for healing or transformation. Mental health emerges as a central theme, with 27% of young adults identifying it as a key part of their faith journey. Notably, over half of those who linked faith to mental health reported a deepening of their spiritual life.
Digital engagement plays a powerful role in this shift. Individuals who primarily engage with religion through social media are overwhelmingly more likely to come into faith than to leave it. However, the report also shows that young people raised in religious households or exposed to faith through school are more likely to experience weakened belief or become atheist—suggesting that institutional or inherited forms of religion may not resonate as strongly with this age group.
The study also highlights the importance of community support. A lack of belonging or emotional support is a major factor driving young adults away from faith, with 18–34-year-olds more than twice as likely as older adults to cite this as a reason for leaving. This reflects a broader trend of increased personal agency among younger believers, who are less willing to compromise on negative experiences within religious communities.
Interestingly, while faith is often seen as a source of moral guidance, younger adults are less likely to find answers to global injustice or suffering through religion. In fact, among those who perceive the world as increasingly unfair, a significant majority move away from faith. This suggests that traditional religious narratives may be losing their explanatory power for younger generations grappling with complex global issues.
In sum, The Next Generation of Faith reveals a paradigm shift: faith is no longer primarily about tradition or doctrine, but about personal meaning, mental wellbeing, and emotional support. As Britain’s youth continue to navigate an uncertain world, their spiritual journeys are becoming more introspective, intentional, and deeply tied to their inner lives.
You can read the full report here.