By John Stonestreet and Shane Morris, Christian Post
In recent months, at two synods for different diocese of the Anglican Church of North America, I encountered a significant number of impressive young men, mostly in their 20s. In one case, they humbly served the clergy and leadership throughout the multi-day proceedings. In the other, they attended a local parish but chose to join and stay for the entirety of an exceptionally long ordination service.
I see something similar at my church, where there is often a row of single, young men, faithful, spiritually hungry, and interested in cultivating a deep, personal faith. I should note, that there is no corresponding row of young women, nor did I see similar numbers of young women at either of the aforementioned synods.
Though these stories are anecdotal, there is growing evidence of a “quiet revival” of Christian belief among Gen Z men. The New York Times reported last fall that, for the first time in American history, men now outnumber women in churches. The trend is especially pronounced among 20-somethings. Last year, a survey by the Public Religion Research Institute found that 39% of Gen Z women identify as religiously unaffiliated, compared with just 31% of men. Among white Evangelicals, young men had begun showing significantly more religiosity than women.
Newer data from the U.K. shows a surprising reawakening across the pond, where church attendance overall has long been much lower than in the U.S. In April, the Bible Society reported that church decline in England and Wales “has not only stopped, but the Church is growing, as Gen Z leads an exciting turnaround in church attendance.”