Spirituality ranks high among interests of Canadian youth
Although many adults disagree, a substantial number of young people across Canada still believe in Jesus and God. And, says sociologist Reginald Bibby, the number of youth regularly attending religious services has increased.
In his new book Canada's Teens: Today, Yesterday, and Tomorrow (Stoddart, 2001) Bibby, a University of Lethbridge sociologist, and one of Canada's top youth experts, draws on data from several of his national surveys, including one conducted last year of 3,500 high-school students between the ages of 15 and 19.
Although down from 62% in 1984, 60% of the youth surveyed indicated "spirituality is important to me." The majority of Gen X'ers (young adults) and Millennials (children born after 1985) admit they have personal spiritual needs, although only five per cent of adults polled by Bibby believe spirituality is "very important" to young people.
However, a professed interest in spirituality doesn't necessarily equate with a greater interest in Christianity, says veteran youth specialist Paul Robertson, an instructor in youth culture at Tyndale College and Seminary in Toronto.
"We have kids who have an interest in spirituality, but it's not the Bible they're going to for guidance, it's the psychics within the media, the astro-love-astrology kind of thing."
For example, Robertson says, most teen magazines prominently advertise horoscopes and psychic advice columns. And, he adds, some youth are becoming more deeply involved in New Age practices and witchcraft.
"We have a lot of kids dabbling in Wicca who are also part of the youth group," he says, using as an example a Youth Culture class he taught at Tyndale. When he asked how many knew kids who dabbled in Wicca, "almost half the class put up their hands."
But that doesn't mean Jesus is a taboo subject, Robertson says. Although the numbers have declined since 1984, according to Bibby, 78% of teens polled in 2000 believe in life after death, 73% say God exists and 65% say Jesus is the divine Son of God.
Forty-eight per cent say they are committed to Christianity or another faith, up from 24% in 1992 and 39% in 1984.
"When you talk to these non-church kids about Christ, they don't have any trouble with Jesus," says Robertson. "They'll say he was the Son of God, he was a good guy, he was a prophet, he healed people."
But, he adds, many youth struggle with the "spiritual smorgasbord" they're faced with every day. "The God concept is pretty mixed up because there's too many other gods out there and they don't understand the God of the Bible."
Many of today's teens "have a high distrust of organized religion. They think church is boring and irrelevant," Robertson says.
According to Bibby, 22% of teens polled in 2000 attend a religious service weekly, compared to 18% in 1992. Bibby credits the emphasis many denominations are putting on youth ministry as one reason why teens are coming to church.
However, only eight per cent of Gen X'ers polled in 2000 attend weekly services.
Robertson suggests the church needs to look at ways to attract young people that will meet them where they're at, rather than depending on "1960s and 70s methodologies."
"Kids have so many options in a world of moral relativism. Just because we say the Bible is true, doesn't [often] mean anything to kids today," he says. "The church needs to wake up and realize the culture has changed tremendously."
For example, he says, Bibby finds that music ranks as the number two (90%) source of enjoyment in youths' lives. "Music, because it's so popular with kids, is one of the tools the church can pick up on," Robertson says. "We have too many kids who are missing the whole message of Christ because we've refused to get in touch with the times."
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