{"id":22866,"date":"2025-07-18T15:45:25","date_gmt":"2025-07-18T22:45:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/?p=22866"},"modified":"2025-07-18T16:45:53","modified_gmt":"2025-07-18T23:45:53","slug":"faith-that-feels-how-todays-young-people-are-redefining-religion","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/2025\/07\/18\/faith-that-feels-how-todays-young-people-are-redefining-religion\/","title":{"rendered":"Faith That Feels: How Today\u2019s Young People Are Redefining Religion"},"content":{"rendered":"<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><em>Por JC Montenegro, PhD<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>(Bellflower, California)<\/strong> &#8211; In an age where religious affiliation is in sharp decline among younger generations, it might be tempting to believe that teens have lost faith and interest altogether. But that assumption misses a deeper, more nuanced reality, one revealed powerfully through two recent studies that illuminate how young people are&nbsp;<em>rediscovering<\/em>&nbsp;faith on their terms.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One source comes from a national lens:&nbsp;<strong>Springtide Research Institute\u2019s<\/strong>&nbsp;recent data drop,&nbsp;<em>\u201cTalking About Religion at Home Matters for Teen Faith\u201d<\/em>. The other is far more local and personal: a 2025 survey I conducted with&nbsp;<strong>97 youth<\/strong>&nbsp;en la&nbsp;<strong>Camp Savio<\/strong>, a vibrant Southern California \ufffcyouth ministry program. Though very different in scope, both studies reach the same conclusion:&nbsp;<strong>Young people aren\u2019t turning away from faith; they\u2019re turning toward a version of it that is real, relational, and relevant.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Faith is Not Dead, It\u2019s Evolving<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Let\u2019s start with the national data. According to Springtide, teens who have<em>&nbsp;occasional<\/em>&nbsp;conversations about religion at home are far more likely to stay engaged with their faith. It\u2019s not about daily devotions or theological debates; it\u2019s about&nbsp;<em>presence and openness<\/em>. When parents and trusted adults make space for spiritual conversations, faith feels less like a rulebook and more like a relationship.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Camp Savio youth echo this, but from a different angle. When asked what God means to them, they didn\u2019t spout doctrine. They said things like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>\u201cGod makes me feel safe.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cI love Him.\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>\u201cIt feels like a conversation.\u201d<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">This isn\u2019t theology in a textbook, it\u2019s&nbsp;<strong>relational spirituality<\/strong>. These teens don\u2019t just believe in God; they&nbsp;<em>experience<\/em>&nbsp;God, especially during challenging moments. Their faith isn\u2019t built on abstract teachings. It\u2019s built on&nbsp;<strong>connection, emotion, and trust<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>What\u2019s Missing at Home, They Seek in Community<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">While Springtide emphasizes the power of&nbsp;<em>home-based faith conversations<\/em>, the Camp Savio responses show that many teens don\u2019t have those conversations. Some even describe home as spiritually silent or worse, judgmental or coercive. For these youth,&nbsp;<strong>faith becomes a refuge found in places like Savio<\/strong>, where compassion, dialogue, and belonging are the norm.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">One teen wrote,&nbsp;<em>\u201cSavio is everything to me.\u201d<\/em>&nbsp;Another said,&nbsp;<em>\u201cIt\u2019s where I feel heard, supported, and not judged.\u201d<\/em>&nbsp;These aren\u2019t just compliments. They are cries for what every young person needs: a safe space to grow spiritually without pressure or shame.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Rules Won\u2019t Reach Them, Relationships Will<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Across both studies, the message is loud and clear:&nbsp;<strong>today\u2019s teens don\u2019t want a religion of rules; they want a faith that relates to real life.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They\u2019re asking for:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Honest conversations about mental health, identity, and belonging<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Opportunities to lead and serve, not just sit and listen<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Churches that talk&nbsp;<em>with<\/em>&nbsp;them, not just&nbsp;<em>en la<\/em>&nbsp;them<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">At Camp Savio, youth asked for more interactive Masses, relatable sermons, and music that reflects their culture. They don\u2019t want faith to be less sacred; they want it to be&nbsp;<strong>less distant<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Springtide supports this too: teens who feel emotionally safe and relationally connected are far more likely to find faith meaningful.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The Takeaway for Parents, Pastors, and Leaders<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Here\u2019s what we must remember:&nbsp;<strong>young people aren\u2019t disinterested in faith; they\u2019re disengaged with the way it\u2019s often presented<\/strong>. They want a church that listens. A family that welcomes questions. A mentor who says, \u201cYou\u2019re not alone.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">So, how do we respond?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>If you\u2019re a parent<\/strong>: Talk about your own faith, not ideally, but honestly. Let your kids see that you wrestle too.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>If you\u2019re a church leader<\/strong>: Design spaces that are interactive, diverse, and rooted in real life. Empower youth to lead.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>If you\u2019re just someone who cares<\/strong>: Be present. Be kind. Be consistent. You may be the reason a teen feels seen by God.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>The Future of Faith is Personal<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a youth minister, I\u2019ve spent years listening to young hearts. And if I\u2019ve learned anything, it\u2019s this:&nbsp;<strong>the future of faith won\u2019t be saved by louder preaching, but by deeper listening,&nbsp;<\/strong>and sometimes this is super difficult for me<strong>.&nbsp;<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">The Camp Savio survey and Springtide research aren\u2019t telling us to panic; they\u2019re telling us to&nbsp;<strong>pivot<\/strong>. If we want faith to matter to this generation, we need to stop trying to make them fit into religion and start letting religion fit into&nbsp;<em>their<\/em>&nbsp;lives.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">They\u2019re ready. Are we?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div data-wp-interactive=\"core\/file\" class=\"wp-block-file\"><object data-wp-bind--hidden=\"!state.hasPdfPreview\" hidden class=\"wp-block-file__embed\" data=\"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/youth-and-regilion-savio.edited.pdf\" type=\"application\/pdf\" style=\"width:100%;height:600px\" aria-label=\"Incrustado de Youth and Regilion - Savio.edited.\"><\/object><a id=\"wp-block-file--media-a624ad8d-2b91-40da-aac9-d040e7a25a96\" href=\"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/youth-and-regilion-savio.edited.pdf\">Youth and Regilion &#8211; Savio.edited<\/a><a href=\"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/youth-and-regilion-savio.edited.pdf\" class=\"wp-block-file__button wp-element-button\" download aria-describedby=\"wp-block-file--media-a624ad8d-2b91-40da-aac9-d040e7a25a96\">Download<\/a><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>By JC Montenegro, PhD (Bellflower, California) &#8211; In an age where religious affiliation is in sharp decline among younger generations, it might be tempting to believe that teens have lost faith and interest altogether. But that assumption misses a deeper, more nuanced reality, one revealed powerfully through two recent studies that illuminate how young people are&nbsp;rediscovering&nbsp;faith on their terms. One source comes from a national &hellip; <a href=\"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/2025\/07\/18\/faith-that-feels-how-todays-young-people-are-redefining-religion\/\" class=\"more-link\">Continuar leyendo <span class=\"screen-reader-text\">Faith That Feels: How Today\u2019s Young People Are Redefining Religion<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":10336596,"featured_media":22883,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_coblocks_attr":"","_coblocks_dimensions":"","_coblocks_responsive_height":"","_coblocks_accordion_ie_support":"","advanced_seo_description":"","jetpack_seo_html_title":"","jetpack_seo_noindex":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":true,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[782003441,20310044,782003440],"tags":[35890],"class_list":["post-22866","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-parishes","category-province-news","category-youth-ministry","tag-featured"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/salesianbulletin.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/07\/513496154_18515830057002224_9130881413417413425_n-1.jpg?fit=1440%2C1080&ssl=1","jetpack_likes_enabled":false,"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p59ePG-5WO","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22866","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/10336596"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=22866"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22866\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":22914,"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/22866\/revisions\/22914"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/22883"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=22866"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=22866"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/salesianbulletin.org\/es\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=22866"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}