http://www.rebooters.net/poll.html
WASHINGTON, April 11 /PRNewswire/ -- Generation Y is down with faith and
spirituality. But when it comes to traditional religious institutions, most
young people are saying: Whatever.
In a landmark report on youth and religion released today, the plurality
of 18-to-25 year old Americans claim religion and spirituality as an important
part of their lives -- but say they're shunning the religious establishment to
explore their faith in untraditional, informal, and often highly personal
ways.
The survey, the first of its kind to compare and contrast the religious
identity of 18-to-25 year old Catholics, Protestants, Jews, and Muslims,
classified the plurality of Generation Y (46%) as "Undecided," young people
who value faith, but prefer to express it informally. The remaining
respondents are identified as either highly religious (27%) or avowedly
secular (27%).
Conducted on behalf of Reboot, a national network for young Jews, by
Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research, the report, "OMG! How Generation Y is
Redefining Faith in the iPod Era," was unveiled at the Brookings Institution
in Washington, D.C. (A full copy of the report can be found at
http://www.rebooters.net/poll.html.)
The survey is the result of a remarkable partnership between Reboot and a
coalition of civic and religious groups including CIRCLE, the Walter & Elise
Haas Fund, the Surdna Foundation, Pew Charitable Trusts' Project MAPS (Muslim
in American Public Square), the Nathan Cummings Foundation, Carnegie
Corporation, and the Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies.
Its findings present critical challenges for America's religious
institutions, according to Roger Bennett, co-founder of Reboot.
"The religious establishment is failing to connect with Generation Y, the
most diverse and individualist group in American history," Bennett said.
"iTunes, Tivo, and MoveOn have shown this generation that it is possible to
bypass the 'middleman' and take control of their own experiences, whether it's
a song list or politics. Religious institutions have to recognize this reality
if they want to be more meaningful to them," he said.
According to the survey, many 18-to-25 year olds express their faith in
informal ways that are either communal or individualistic, such as praying
before meals (55%), talking with friends (38%), or reading religious
magazines, books, and newspapers (33%).
While they enjoy "a genuine attachment to religious life," younger people
are "more disconnected from traditional denominations than their older
counterparts ... [and] favor more informal ways to practice their faith as
opposed to attending services, classes, or formal activity," the report says.
The survey, however, reveals that young people who identify as highly
religious (27%) tend to be more self-aware and significantly more connected to
family and community.
"One of the most remarkable findings of the study is that on every
measure, highly religious youth better understand themselves and their place
in the community more than less religious youth," said the report's author,
Anna Greenberg, vice president of Greenberg Quinlan Rosner Research.
"The results send a clear message: Demand for meaning and community is
there, but few in Gen Y are finding it in churches, mosques, or synagogues,"
Bennett said. "The question now is whether established institutions will adapt
or innovate to meet this generation's particular spiritual needs."
Among other key findings in the report:
* Level of religious engagement varies: About a quarter (27%) of the
youths surveyed were categorized by survey authors as "Godly," or highly
religious. The same number (27%) was categorized as "Godless," or non-
religious. A plurality (46%) of Generation Y was classified as
"Undecided."
* Diverse social circles: Unlike previous generations who generally lived
and socialized in ethnic or religious enclaves, Generation Y does not
seek out friends of the same religion. Only 7% said all their friends
are members of the same religion. Even the most religious youth
maintain diverse networks, with only 9% claiming all their friends are
of the same religion.
* Progressive worldview: Generation Y offers a highly tolerant,
progressive worldview, even among youths who identify as religious. A
majority (53%) support same-sex marriage rights; 63% support keeping
abortion legal.
* Denominations decline: Many young people cannot identify what faith
tradition or denomination they belong to. Along with a decline in
denominationalism, the survey reveals a concurrent rise in the number of
people unwilling to align with a denomination at all.
STDs are Gen Y's top concern: Overall, "getting a sexually transmitted
disease" was the top concern of young people surveyed, with 35%
responding "very worried."
* Jewish youth most disconnected: Among the most disconnected are Jewish
youth. Jewish respondents were more likely to be characterized
"Godless," or less religiously attached. More Jews were also
characterized as "ambivalent" than youth in any other religion. African
Americans were most likely to fall into the "Godly," or more religious,
category.
The report's author, Anna Greenberg, is vice president of Greenberg
Quinlan Rosner Research, and Assistant Professor of Public Policy at the John
F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
About Reboot
Founded in 2000, Reboot is a network for Jewish innovation, gathering some
of the brightest thinkers, creatives, theologians, and activists to examine
what it means, and what it could mean to be Jewish in America today. Anna
Greenberg was inspired to undertake this groundbreaking national study after
attending a Reboot Summit in May 2003. More at http://www.rebooters.net.
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