Presented the data from the research “Young people: expectations, ideals, beliefs” on the topic of religiosity and faith among the new generations, carried out by the “Footprint” group of the Pontifical University of the Holy Cross in collaboration with the demoscopic institute Spanish GAD 3. In the survey, carried out in eight countries, 4,889 young people between 18 and 29 years old participated. Professor Bellido: “The majority believe in God and see the Church as a guide.”
Roberta Barbi – Vatican City
Almost five thousand responded to the questions between November and December of last year: they are the young people from Argentina, Brazil, Italy, Kenya, Mexico, the Philippines, Spain and the United Kingdom interviewed for research on youth spirituality carried out by the Pontifical University of the Holy Cruz and seven other collaborating universities from around the world. The originality of this research – which is presented today, Thursday, December 29 – lies precisely in the fact that it has been carried out on an international selection, using a continuous listening methodology, and offers an encouraging image of youth.
“In recent years, spirituality among young people has remained stable, if not increased, in 83% of cases,” Gema María Bellido, professor of Fundamentals of Institutional Communication and head of the project, told Vatican News. Footprint, which commissioned the data collection. “The majority of boys and girls believe in God and have a positive perception of the Church, seen as a guide and not as a political-temporal institution.” Among the general results of the research, the increase in civic sense and interest in social issues stands out.
Religion influences moral choices
According to the dossier presented, it is social issues and prayer on which young people are guided more by religion and spirituality when making moral decisions: although it is believers who admit the existence of sin and not atheists, the majority (67%) believe that it is conscience that determines what is right and what is wrong. That is why, for example, war is considered unjustifiable, as are political corruption and environmental problems. “These are the recurring themes that we have found and that unite all young people, regardless of their faith or lack of faith,” says Professor Bellido, who affirms that many of the specific themes will be studied in subsequent research. Thus, for example, the death penalty is less accepted by Catholics, while opposition to the legalization of prostitution is another issue common to all.
Faith lived with conviction and not as tradition
Although the geographical origin of the young people interviewed appears as a factor that greatly influences their responses, the research records a general increase in faith lived by conviction and practiced, for example, by Christians who go to mass and participate in the sacraments (especially Reconciliation and the Eucharist) and not as tradition or custom: a trend that appears as an original result of this study. “On this question, the countries are divided into three groups, – explains the teacher – if Kenya, the Philippines and Brazil show a strong religiosity and a great religious practice, we observe that in Italy and Spain a smaller percentage of young people identify as believers, but at the same time they also show a deeper awareness of faith; Mexico and Argentina, finally, are in an intermediate position and the United Kingdom is a unique case.”
Atheists, agnostics and prayer
Also interesting is the fact that many young people find themselves praying in certain circumstances: a tendency common to everyone, atheists and agnostics included. In particular, 56% of men define themselves as atheists and agnostics and are located mainly in Italy and Spain, which are, therefore – among those surveyed – the countries with the highest rate of secularization. One of the main reasons for not believing expressed by those interviewed is the impossibility of understanding the mystery of faith: “This fact emerges above all in Italy and the United Kingdom,” specifies Bellido, who, however, is not convinced of this a reason put forward by atheists and agnostics, but also pointed out as a difficulty by believers.
The continuous listening paradigm
The research consisted of a project based on continuous listening, an important and at the same time original methodology: “The reason for this is the ability to combine the quantitative and qualitative aspects of the data collected,” says the expert, who announces how in In the coming months, again in collaboration with partner universities, a series of topics will be delved into with specific surveys. “We will deal with young people and relationships and young people and work and the common good; – he concludes – the objective of the survey for the participating universities is to adapt their educational offer to the real needs expressed by young people.”
