Generation Z is becoming more religious. Nearly two-thirds of young people identify as spiritual or religious and many say they believe in a higher power. In fact, this generation’s increasing involvement in church and prayer is helping to reverse the societal trend away from religion and toward progressive secularism.
At the same time, a majority of Gen Zers also believe in the supernatural and say miracles have occurred in their own lives.
Don’t get me wrong: We still have a long way to go before faith or spirituality helps guide our youth away from the dangers of unenlightenment and cultural emptiness, where bad actors on social media and elsewhere exploit young people’s insecurities to fuel depression, anxiety, poor body image, and even encourage violence.
GEN Z EMBRACES THE BIBLE IN AN UNEXPECTED GLOBAL SPIRITUAL AWAKENING
The movement towards religion and spirituality must be cultivated. Simply put, churches, synagogues, and other places of worship offer community and real human interaction, while social media and video games often bring virtual realities, depersonalization, and avatars.
But this does not mean that the two worlds are automatically mutually exclusive. One teenager, who died a celebrated death, taught the world that.
It is no coincidence that in 2025 the canonization of the first millennial saint took place: Carlo Acutis, also known as the patron saint of the internet. During his lifetime, Acutis, a gifted computer programmer, created a website that cataloged Eucharistic miracles around the world. He was diagnosed with acute leukemia in October 2006 at the age of 15 and died within days, offering his suffering to others dealing with illness – “for the Lord, for the Pope and the Church.”
After his death he performed two miracles. First, in 2013, a young Brazilian boy named Mattheus, who suffered from a severe pancreatic disorder that prevented him from eating or even keeping food down, was blessed with a relic of Acutis. The next day he started eating normally, and medical tests later confirmed that his pancreas had healed and was now normal.
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In 2023, an Italian student, Valeria, suffered a brain hemorrhage as a result of a cycling accident and underwent emergency surgery. Her mother visited Acutis’ grave in Assisi and prayed. Days later, her daughter began breathing on her own and recovered quickly. This miracle led to Carlos Acutis being canonized by Pope Leo IV in September 2025.
Saint Acutis is one of the reasons that young people are becoming more religious. Since his death, he has become a role model for millions. In his short life, he used his technological skills to get closer to God, while still embracing his passion for video games, the Internet, and coding. Social media was still in its infancy at the time, but many young people today can identify with Acutis’ online life and see it as a way to find God themselves while living fully in today’s digital world. Acutis found a way to bridge both worlds, and so did others, following his example.
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But the most important way to restore faith to a central place in a strongly divided society remains the family. Keep in mind that studies show that 57% of Baby Boomers attended church services with their families while growing up, compared to just 40% of Gen Zers. Sixty-one percent of baby boomers report having religious education, compared to just 42% of Gen Zers.
We must emphasize community, family, and faith when our children are young, to help them choose a path of spiritual growth and accept a reality much bigger than a six-inch cell phone.
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