Survey Finds Gen Z Most Likely To View Faith As VIP In Pandemic

Three-fourths (74 percent) of Gen Zers surveyed recently by the Becket Fund for Religious Liberty view religious faith are either somewhat or extremely important to them in dealing with the Covid-19 Pandemic.

“Surprisingly, Gen Z respondents, who across polls tend to be less religious and least at risk during the pandemic, were also much more likely than the average to say faith and religion had been extremely or very important,” the Becket survey said in its summary.

Gen Z individuals were born between 1997 and 2012, meaning the oldest member of the generation is now 23 years of age.

Gen Xers at 56 percent were the least likely to say their religious faith was somewhat or extremely important to them in coping with the Pandemic.

The Silent Generation — individuals born during WWII but before Baby Boomers — were the second most-likely at 64 percent, followed by Millennials and Baby Boomers at 62 percent.

The Becket survey also found a stronger than expected belief that religious faith is an important part of the American society’s approach to dealing with the Pandemic and other problems facing the country.

“In a year when nations wait on science and government to provide a cure to the coronavirus pandemic, it may seem that religion and people of faith would have little to offer in terms of solutions,” the survey said.

“Yet this year, more than 60 percent of respondents said that religion and people of faith are part of the solution to the issues facing our country.

“It may also seem that thanks to everything from Zoom fatigue to election exhaustion to lockdown weariness, Americans lack the capacity to feel strongly about anything.

“But again, when it comes to solutions to the country’s issues, the Index shows an increase of 7 percentage points among those who think people of faith are definitely part of the solution—the strongest level of agreement.”

In addition, the survey found strong support among respondents for the view that religious faith is a key factor in individual identity and in the public processes of the country.

“Nearly two-thirds of respondents agreed with a description of religious faith as a way of life for many people. Sixty percent agree that religion for some people is a fundamental part of ‘who I am’ and should be protected accordingly.

“And a majority of respondents agreed with the statements that religious freedom is inherently public and that religious exercise extends to school, work, social media, and other public places.

“Concerning the question of whether religious freedom is inherently public, two of the more supportive demographic groups were Gen Z and Black respondents.”

The Becket survey is based on online interviews with a sample of 1,000 nationally representative individuals.