Gen Y: Choosing 'Spirituality' over Christ

New research shows today's youth are straying from traditional Christianity - even as their interest in spirituality grows. The recently released book Unchristian shows how a new generation is rejecting Christianity based on negative perceptions of the Church. Generation Next If you're 18 to 25, you're part of Generation Next (also called Generation Y). New research by the Pew Center shows about two-thirds of this group identify themselves as either Protestant or Catholic. But 20 percent of Generation Next says they have no religious affiliation. That's almost doubled since the late 1980s. They are also the least likely to go to church. What They Really Think about Christianity Well-known Barna researcher David Kinnaman and young Christian leader Gabe Lyons - co-authors of Unchristian - write about what those aged 16-29 think about the Church. They found Christians are more famous for what they oppose than for what they stand for. In brief, these young people consider Christians to be: anti-homosexual, too political, hypocritical, insincere, and out-of-touch. Kinnaman and Lyons argue that in response, the Church's goal should not be to become more popular, but "to lead lives that reflect the message of Jesus, which over time naturally creates a more positive perception." A Challenge to Figure out Their Faith It's a tough challenge for the church. One answer for the future may lie in focusing on today's teens. That's because their faith, says youth expert Christian Smith, is often shallow at best. "The vast majority of teens are benignly positive about religion," Smith said. "They think it's a nice thing, they think it's good." Smith believes adults aren't challenging youth to figure out their faith. In a recent study, he found most teens unable to articulate their beliefs. "They didn't have a theological language to draw on. They didn't even have canned answers. We would ask 'Who's Jesus? Uh.' They wouldn't know. They couldn't even say 'son of God.'" Smith said. The good news is that a recent UCLA study shows college students are growing more interested in spirituality as a life goal. Fifty percent said "integrating spirituality into my life" is an important life goal, compared to 42 percent in 2004. It would appear that students are seeking God - but not through the church. Still, that interest may provide the gateway for the Church as it seeks to transform a complicated generation into committed followers of Christ.