Talking about religion at home matters for teen faith

How often teens talk about religion at home may say a lot about how religious they are. In Springtide Research Institute’s survey on Gen Alpha teens (born in or after 2010), participants rated the extent to which they identify as religious (on a scale from “not religious at all” to

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Do young men and women differ when it comes to religion?

Springtide’s recent research on young people finds that Gen Z men and women are quite similar in their feelings about religion and spirituality. For some aspects of religiosity (such as connection to a higher power and level of spirituality), young men and women do not differ at all. For other

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The Newest Generation of Religious “Nones”

According to Springtide Research Institute’s data on young people, one-third of teens and young adults (33%) are religious “Nones”—a broad category that often includes atheists, agnostics, those unaffiliated with organized religion, and the “spiritual but not religious.” But who are young “Nones” and what do they believe? “Nones” hold diverse

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What does “evangelical” mean to young evangelicals?

Evangelicals have long commanded attention in American politics, but less is known about teen and young adult evangelicals. What does “evangelical” mean to young people, ages 13–25, who identify as such? Our research on Gen Z and Gen Alpha reveals just how complex young people’s feelings are about evangelical identities.

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Effective Youth Ministry Strategies: Purpose 

In Springtide’s site visits for the What’s Working project, leaders shared their wisdom and insights from years of experience in youth ministry. Five themes shaped our inquiries during these visits: adaptability, integrity, inclusivity, fun, and purpose. While these are universal concepts, each manifested differently in theory and practice, providing a

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Our Search to Find What’s Working

Springtide Research Institute just completed the second phase of the What’s Working project, a multi-year campaign, sponsored in part by Lilly Endowment, Inc., to learn best practices in youth ministry for connecting and supporting young people. In this blog, lead researcher Dr. Hannah Evans talks about the research process, the

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Gen Alpha and Religion: What 13-Year-Olds Say 

Today’s young people are maturing in a society that has experienced a decades-long decline in religious affiliation. Yet, Springtide data repeatedly show that young people adopt religious and spiritual identities, profess religious and spiritual beliefs, and see the value of religion and spirituality in their lives. Our recent study, Thirteen:

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“Totally Separate”: Young People’s Beliefs about Religion in Politics

Do Young Americans Believe Religion Should Influence Politics? “Totally separate” was Atticus’s (19, conservative) response when asked what he felt the relationship should be between religion and politics. Like Atticus, almost half (46%) of young people surveyed in the 2024 Springtide Study of Young People and Civic Life report that

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