In a surprising twist, young people in Northern Ireland are showing a renewed interest in religion, according to recent research findings. The Iona Institute’s study reveals that almost a third of the 18-24 age group hold a positive view of religion, contrasting with a mere four percent harboring strong negative sentiments.
This generational shift also extends to perceptions of the Catholic Church, with 17 percent of young respondents expressing favorable opinions. David Quinn, director of the Iona Institute, communicated his optimism about these trends in an interview with Crux, noting the potential for a religious revival among younger individuals.
“The fact that some kind of revival of interest in religion is occurring among the youngest age group surveyed should encourage all the Churches,” Quinn stated. “It is not an outlier finding because polls elsewhere have seen the same thing. Maybe a growing subset of young people are concluding that secularism isn’t really giving satisfactory answers to life’s big questions.”
Across the broader demographic, over a quarter of those surveyed identified as Catholic, while Presbyterian and Church of Ireland affiliations were reported by 14% and 11%, respectively. A notable 36% identified as religious ‘nones’, signifying a lack of affiliation with any religion.
More than half of the participants described themselves as “religious and/or spiritual”, compared to 39% who claimed neither of these identities. The survey, executed by Amarach Research for the Iona Institute, encompassed the views of 1,200 adults.
The Iona Institute highlighted that these findings challenge the traditional Catholic versus Protestant dichotomy in Northern Ireland, as a considerable portion of the population no longer aligns with these groups.
Quinn remarked, “One big thing it shows is that the North cannot be thought of in Catholic versus Protestant terms anymore because now we have a lot of ‘nones’, that is people who don’t belong to any religion. They have a ‘plague on both your houses’ attitude.”
Historically, the region has been marred by conflict, often depicted as sectarian in nature, particularly during “The Troubles”. This prolonged period of unrest involved various groups and the British government, culminating in the Good Friday Agreement of 1997, though occasional violence persists.
Looking ahead, Quinn anticipates a decline in “cultural Christians,” those who identify as Christian but lack regular practice, suggesting a future division between religious believers and non-believers, with the ‘nones’ representing a significant demographic.
“This seems to be what is happening in both the North and the South. The overall conclusion, however, is that religion is not disappearing, contrary to past predictions,” Quinn concluded.
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
