Faith
Faith Among Northern Irish Youth Shows Hope
Faith Facts
- Research reveals 30% of 18-24-year-olds in Northern Ireland have a positive attitude toward religion.
- Young adults are most likely to view the Catholic Church positively compared to other age groups.
- Over half of respondents consider themselves religious and/or spiritual.
A survey by The Iona Institute finds young people in Northern Ireland are increasingly open to religion, with only four percent holding a very negative view. This trend is seen as a welcome sign of faith’s enduring importance among the youth.
Seventeen percent of young respondents view the Catholic Church positively, reflecting a renewed openness within this generation. Religious identification in the broader sample is diverse, with 28 percent Catholic, 14 percent Presbyterian, and 11 percent belonging to the Church of Ireland.
“The fact that some kind of revival of interest in religion is occurring among the youngest age group surveyed should encourage all the Churches,”
said Iona Institute director David Quinn.
Most respondents identify as religious and/or spiritual, while 36 percent are religious ‘nones’. The poll challenges old perceptions, as many now do not align with traditional denominational divides.
Quinn highlights
“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.”
While the Troubles cast a long shadow, spiritual hunger remains alive among the younger generation.
Quinn added
“In the future, there will probably be fewer ‘cultural Christians’ around, that is, people who say they are Christian but don’t practice. Instead, society could be divided between those who believe in religion and those who don’t believe, with little in between, that is between the religious and the ‘nones’.”
Ultimately, faith continues to offer meaning in uncertain times.
This trend among Northern Irish youth reflects a growing desire for faith-based answers and signals hope for Christian revival. Stand firm in your faith and continue to encourage the next generation to seek truth, purpose, and grace rooted in God’s Word.