Interesting Facts from “Souls in Transition”

American Emerging Adults are less “religious” than their elders in a number of respects (daily prayer, attendance at weekly services, and self-identified “strong affiliation” with a religious tradition) but equally religious in others (belief that the Bible is the inspired word of God, the Bible should be interpreted literally, and self-identification as a religious “liberal”).

Interestingly, the differences between EAs and their elders are pronounced for Catholics and mainline Protestants; the differences are much smaller for evangelical Protestants and black Protestants.  The effects, on the one hand, of the mainline identification of religion with social work and, on the other, of the liturgical “reforms” and anti-doctrinal results of Vatican II, seem apparent.

The lower rate of strong affiliation of EAs with their religious traditions is mirrored by their lower rate of involvement in other areas of social life (e.g., membership in voluntary associations, charitable donations, volunteering, etc.).  I guess churches shouldn’t feel too bad.