Younger generations are ‘reckoning’ with religion: Theologian
- A study shows 24% of Americans are changing their religious beliefs
- One theologian says young people are questioning traditional teachings
- She says questions of race, gender and sexuality are contributing to it
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(NewsNation) — A new study by the Public Religion Research Institute shows nearly a quarter of Americans have changed their religious affiliations, either turning to a religion different from what they grew up with or leaving religion altogether.
“We are reckoning with the ways that so much of our traditional teachings don’t align with the kind of people that we’re trying to be, and that is, in and of itself, the biggest issue,” said theologian Candice Benbow.
Benbow joined “NewsNation Now” to discuss the decline in religion, saying issues of gender, sexuality and race are causing younger generations to question teachings they may have grown up with.
The study shows that out of the Americans who left a religious tradition, 37% say they were formerly Catholic, 24% were non-evangelical Christians or Protestant and 17% belonged to another Christian tradition.
The study also revealed that the second most common reason for leaving a previous religious affiliation is because of teachings about LGBTQ+ people, finishing just after losing belief in a religion’s teachings.
“When we’re looking at younger generations and populations of people, they are really asking questions about what does it mean to do life with people? What does it mean to honor people’s individuality? What does it mean to honor people’s lived experiences, and not be so beholden to dogmas, that, when you think about it … have taught us really not to see people as people,” Benbow said.
