I think it is complicated. I hear this a lot coming from the US also, but the rise of "Christianity" among Gen Z or young men is often a draw towards a more politically conservative religion. It doesn't always look like Jesus.
I'm not sure if you heard but, in the UK, a chap called Tommy Robinson held a rather strange (very poorly attended) Christmas service in 2025. He is a convicted criminal and the former leader of an Islamophobic hate group called the English Defence League. He now espouses various forms of right-wing nationalism, although he now seems to be far more concerned with public relations than he has been in his past. However, there is a growing trend in this country to use the Christian faith as a Trojan horse for right wing nationalism and anti-immigration hysteria. It does not even remotely resemble the Gospel but is managing to fool some people. It also brings along with it a kind of warped reinstitution of outmoded masculinities based on self-styled superiority and corroborated by misreading certain biblical texts. If it is the case that Generation Z has a reinvigorated interest in the faith then that is something to celebrate - but as Generation X, we should celebrate cautiously!! Impressionable youngsters disillusioned with institutional Christianity will often latch onto fringe ideas which offer something resembling “hope”, only to discover that what looks like renewed faith is actually political radicalization and the justification of misogyny.
Would you advocate for institutional Christianity for Gen Z? I know that’s probably not what you meant but I’d be very interested to hear about what would be your ideal vision for a generation that recently regained their interest in faith
Many thanks for your engagement with my current series on the social world of young people.
Your question is a very interesting one and my response operates at two levels.
Firstly, I want to suggest that I have no essential dispute with institutional Christianity in the sense that any attempt to formalize religious ideals, especially within a community, will lead to some degree of systematisation or institutionalization. This is not in and of itself problematic. It only become so when the dynamics of the institution become more important than the ideals themselves. This is the issue that many are railing against, not just Generation Z!
More specifically, I would not push young people towards or away from institutional Christianity, which for most would probably translate to some manner of traditional church structure. I would encourage Generation Z to be critical, curious, humble, Jesus centered and open to dialogue. That may lead them to a more traditional church setting or it may lead them to a less formal or less mainstream expression of Christian Faith. How that is actualized to some degree depend on the individual.
I think this question of Gen Z and the approach to spirituality is a complex one. Despite what was said on the video clip, more recent surveys have actually implied that younger generations are seeking out the certainty of more traditional and mainstream forms of Christianity. There may well be some truth to this, but I fear that the statistics might be largely American based and represent political affiliations as much as religious ones. As such, I don't think the landscape is as easy to interpret as we might think.
I worship in a small house church which does not have many of the strictures of more mainstream settings, but there is nothing terribly maverick about our approach to discipleship. As someone who has been in the faith for nigh on 33 years, and as one who routinely engages with young Believers, I would not make the choice between institutional and non-institutional Christianity, either of which could succumb to non Jesus centered tendencies. I would make the choice between groups that are willing to dialogue in order to think through the faith and ensure that it represents Jesus and those which close down thinking and lean on traditions because their agendas have more to do with corporate growth than Christ rootedness.
I'm not sure if I've completely answered your question or not but I hope it's at least offered a reasonable appraisal of where I land!
I think it is complicated. I hear this a lot coming from the US also, but the rise of "Christianity" among Gen Z or young men is often a draw towards a more politically conservative religion. It doesn't always look like Jesus.
Absolutely correct Nadine!
I'm not sure if you heard but, in the UK, a chap called Tommy Robinson held a rather strange (very poorly attended) Christmas service in 2025. He is a convicted criminal and the former leader of an Islamophobic hate group called the English Defence League. He now espouses various forms of right-wing nationalism, although he now seems to be far more concerned with public relations than he has been in his past. However, there is a growing trend in this country to use the Christian faith as a Trojan horse for right wing nationalism and anti-immigration hysteria. It does not even remotely resemble the Gospel but is managing to fool some people. It also brings along with it a kind of warped reinstitution of outmoded masculinities based on self-styled superiority and corroborated by misreading certain biblical texts. If it is the case that Generation Z has a reinvigorated interest in the faith then that is something to celebrate - but as Generation X, we should celebrate cautiously!! Impressionable youngsters disillusioned with institutional Christianity will often latch onto fringe ideas which offer something resembling “hope”, only to discover that what looks like renewed faith is actually political radicalization and the justification of misogyny.
Would you advocate for institutional Christianity for Gen Z? I know that’s probably not what you meant but I’d be very interested to hear about what would be your ideal vision for a generation that recently regained their interest in faith
Hi Billy!
Many thanks for your engagement with my current series on the social world of young people.
Your question is a very interesting one and my response operates at two levels.
Firstly, I want to suggest that I have no essential dispute with institutional Christianity in the sense that any attempt to formalize religious ideals, especially within a community, will lead to some degree of systematisation or institutionalization. This is not in and of itself problematic. It only become so when the dynamics of the institution become more important than the ideals themselves. This is the issue that many are railing against, not just Generation Z!
More specifically, I would not push young people towards or away from institutional Christianity, which for most would probably translate to some manner of traditional church structure. I would encourage Generation Z to be critical, curious, humble, Jesus centered and open to dialogue. That may lead them to a more traditional church setting or it may lead them to a less formal or less mainstream expression of Christian Faith. How that is actualized to some degree depend on the individual.
I think this question of Gen Z and the approach to spirituality is a complex one. Despite what was said on the video clip, more recent surveys have actually implied that younger generations are seeking out the certainty of more traditional and mainstream forms of Christianity. There may well be some truth to this, but I fear that the statistics might be largely American based and represent political affiliations as much as religious ones. As such, I don't think the landscape is as easy to interpret as we might think.
I worship in a small house church which does not have many of the strictures of more mainstream settings, but there is nothing terribly maverick about our approach to discipleship. As someone who has been in the faith for nigh on 33 years, and as one who routinely engages with young Believers, I would not make the choice between institutional and non-institutional Christianity, either of which could succumb to non Jesus centered tendencies. I would make the choice between groups that are willing to dialogue in order to think through the faith and ensure that it represents Jesus and those which close down thinking and lean on traditions because their agendas have more to do with corporate growth than Christ rootedness.
I'm not sure if I've completely answered your question or not but I hope it's at least offered a reasonable appraisal of where I land!
With all best wishes,
Andy.
Thank you. I totally agree with you.