More Insights from the State of Religion & Young People 2023
In our newest report, The State of Religion & Young People 2023: Exploring the Sacred, young people share their insights on what is sacred to them and how the sacred impacts their lives. Our data show that regardless of religious upbringing or affiliation, young people experience the sacred, or “those things, places, or moments that feel special and set apart from others— experiences that evoke a sense of wonder, awe, gratitude, deep truth, and/or interconnectedness.” Young people we interviewed described sacred moments taking place in nature, at concerts, hanging out with friends and family, or even navigating difficult experiences.
Here’s some additional insights based on young people’s descriptions of sacred moments:
Sacred moments include distinct feelings and emotional states. The moments can feel otherworldly and often evoke a sense of inspiration or humility.
Young people feel sacred moments make their lives better in three ways: by offering them direction, by imbuing their lives with meaning, and by giving them a deep sense of peace. These moments often result in what feels like positive momentum. They can be joy-inducing at least and life-changing at most. Sacred moments have the power to make life more meaningful.
Young people feel sacred moments make their lives better in three ways: by offering them direction, by imbuing their lives with meaning, and by giving them a deep sense of peace. These moments often result in what feels like positive momentum. They can be joy-inducing at least and life-changing at most. Sacred moments have the power to make life more meaningful.
[The bible studies our Black Christian organization hosted] ended up becoming like more vulnerable moments because we were Black at a Predominately White Institution, and we were struggling in a lot of different areas. One night I was talking with one of my friends. I was telling her something really personal, and in that moment, she like met me with love and empathy. And for me, it was a beautiful depiction of, “Oh, this is how God feels about me.” Up until that point, it had been a huge struggle for me to accept love from other people and from God. . . . But when we were in that space together . . .she met my vulnerability with assurance. . . . It just has made me think about this reality that redefined how I view church—removing that from this physical place and more so realizing it within the connections that we have with other folks.
Interested in learning more? Read the full report and get the whole story on how young people are exploring the sacred!
Want to hear young people describe their sacred moments? Tune into Season 8 of the Voices of Young People podcast, where members of our Springtide Ambassadors Program talk about their experiences that went from simply special to sacred.
