3 August 2006
Fewer than half of Australia's Generation Y (born 1976-1990) identifies with a traditional religion, a three-year study of youth spirituality in Australia has found.
The Spirit of Generation Y project (2003-2006), conducted by Monash University, the Australian Catholic University and the Christian Research Association, found Generation Y relies on family and friends as the sources of its beliefs, values and social support.
Monash sociology lecturer Dr Andrew Singleton said social forces such as secularisation, consumer capitalism and individualism were significant in shaping contemporary religion and spirituality among Generation Y.
"Generation Y are what their parents and Australian culture have made them," Dr Singleton said. "They believe an individual's views and preferences, provided they harm no-one else, should not be questioned or constrained, and that spiritual or religious beliefs and practices are purely personal lifestyle choices and in no way necessary."
The study explored Generation Y's world views and values, sense of meaning and purpose in life, ways in which they found peace and happiness, involvement in traditional religions and alternative spiritualities, and the influences that shaped Generation Y's outlook and lifestyle.
The project surveyed 1272 people in their teens and 20s. The results were compared with groups from Generation X (born 1961-75) and the 'Baby Boomer' generation (1946-60).
Overall, researchers found that less than half of Australia's Generation Y believed in a God, a third were unsure and one in five did not believe in a God. The study also identified three main strands of spirituality among Generation Y's -- Christian (44 per cent), humanist (31 per cent) and eclectic (17 per cent). Eclectic spirituality included New Age, esoteric or Eastern beliefs. Some 27 per cent of those surveyed were involved in some kind of volunteer work per month.
Generation Y Christians have moved away from formal church participation, with only one in five attending religious services once a month or more. "Some respondents were angry or disenchanted with organised religion, but most simply did not care or were not interested," Dr Singleton said.
The majority of 'humanists' believed that there was little truth in religion and largely rejected alternative spiritualities such as Buddhism. Less than a quarter believed in life after death.
Those with an 'eclectic' spirituality -- more common among young women -- believed in two or more New Age, esoteric or Eastern beliefs (including belief in reincarnation, psychics and fortune tellers, ghosts, astrology) and took part in alternative spiritual practices such as yoga, tarot and tai-chi. Some attended religious services, but most did not.
A report summary is available from the Australian Catholic University website.
For further information, contact Karen Stichtenoth, Media Communications on +61 3 9905 1253.
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