A large number of young adults are turning to “digital religion,” according to a study from the University of Waterloo.
This shouldn’t come as a surprise. In March 2020, many churches went dark. Pandemic restrictions throughout the country forced them to close their doors, and, almost instantaneously, Sunday services moved online.
For many older generations, this was an entirely new experience. But for younger people, such as millennials and Gen Zers, online services were not completely out of the ordinary. In fact, many young people had given up attending church in person before COVID-19 was even around.
The University of Waterloo’s study confirms this trend. “We know that more and more people are turning towards digital mediums for spirituality such as chat groups with pastors, online sermons, and religious content on social media,” Professor Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme wrote of her findings.
However, this “digital religion” mostly “complements, not substitutes, in-person participation in organized religion” for young adults, the study added.
“We’ve found that while digital religion isn’t necessarily attracting a lot of new millennials to participate, it is making the experience of those already involved richer,” Wilkins-Laflamme said.
To the extent that digital spiritual content complements, but doesn’t replace, in-person worship, this is good news. Online religious participation and research can be an enormous benefit to those who want to grow in their faith. In fact, it’s something we should use to our advantage.
In my own life, the great work of Christian theologian and philosopher William Lane Craig and his media organization Reasonable Faith have helped me keep and explain aspects of my faith to those who believe differently than I do.
Notably, all of the content I have consumed from Craig has been online, digitized content, including podcasts and YouTube videos. It has added to, not detracted from, my attendance at in-person church services.
Still, this positive impact doesn’t hold true for everyone.
I have friends who have given up in-person church attendance in favor of watching “online church.” And, if we’re not careful, the ease of access to digital spiritual content could quickly lead more individuals to skip church altogether.
We must resist this temptation. “Digital religion” is no substitute for the community and accountability that churches provide. And, in a world that is becoming increasingly isolated and lonely, this kind of fellowship is exactly what we need. In fact, one recent survey found that the number of Americans who say they have no close friends rose to 12% in 2021 from 3% in 1990. Among young men, especially, that number is higher. Fifteen percent of men report having no close friends, according to the poll.
Another recent survey conducted by the American Enterprise Institute found that younger people are experiencing a “loneliness epidemic.” They are “lonelier in general than older people because most of them are not as rooted in particular relationships and communities,” the research found.
One of the activities associated with a reduced feeling of loneliness was frequent church attendance. “Americans who are members of religious congregations are less likely to feel lonely,” the survey found.
Our digital age offers new opportunities for young people’s faith to be strengthened in ways that previous generations have never had. But we must be mindful to ensure this opportunity does not cause us to retreat into loneliness and isolation at the expense of community and friendships.
Zachary Mettler is a staff writer for Focus on the Family’s Daily Citizen. Mettler earned his bachelor’s degree from William Jessup University and is an alumnus of the Young Leaders Program at the Heritage Foundation.
