By: Igor Colonno and Fatima Durrani
As Americans seek deeper connections and personal fulfillment, traditional religious affiliations have dwindled, giving way to a surge in spirituality.
Fueled by a quest for personal growth, bolstered mental health and the widespread adoption of practices like meditation, spirituality has emerged as a prominent force reshaping individual beliefs and communal practices.
In the United States, 41% of Americans have become more spiritual over time while 24% said they have become more religious, according to Pew Research Center.
According to an article by The Washington Post, a variety of demographics within the US are also identifying as “less religious” or not affiliated with any religion.
Cierra Smith, a communication studies major at Long Beach State, is part of the Jewish faith. Smith said she thinks that religion is not becoming irrelevant, but rather it’s changing and adapting in a newer society.
“I still think that a lot of people subscribe to faith in some sort of way, whether it’s like believing in a God or higher power, but just the way we practice is changing,” Smith said.
Smith also said she sees spirituality increasing among younger generations and believes it does not detract from any religion.
Smith believes people can use faith and spirituality simultaneously without any interference, but said she personally would not practice that way since her connection to Judaism is already very strong.
English major and former Christian Madeline Popovich said she is no longer part of any religious group, but still considers herself a spiritual person.
Even though Popovich is no longer religious, she said she enjoys listening to the perspectives of different religions and believes social media has had a role in familiarizing different communities with religious culture.
“[In] Christianity, we looked at different religions like they were wrong, but…I think being able to see everything from more of an outside perspective, everyone is pretty much on the same page,” Popovich said. “It’s just little small differences where your family comes from and what traditions they follow.”
Smith said that growing up interfaith allowed her the opportunity to see two different perspectives from Judaism and Christianity, and noticed that both support a moral good to each person’s values.
The growing importance of mental health has also led to an increase in spirituality.
According to an Alcoholics Anonymous press release from August 2023, “At A.A. meetings, spiritual themes are often highlighted in members’ personal sharing or in readings at meetings from the Twelve Steps and Twelve Traditions or the book Alcoholics Anonymous—commonly called “The Big Book.”
The group is focused on helping alcoholics heal and recover from their addiction, emphasizing that they don’t identify as a religious organization. Their main focus is to find a bond together whether it’s through spirituality, religion or other sources.
According to Pew Research Center, a survey conducted in 2023 showed that 83% of U.S. adults “believe people have a soul or spirit in addition to their physical body.” The survey also confirms an overall decline in those who attend religious services regularly and participate in religious practices.
Shivani Bothra, assistant professor in the religious studies department said newer generations are becoming more spiritual due to the core ethical values that come with it.
“The younger generation is getting more into spirituality, that means they are looking at the religious tradition through a scientific lens,” Bothra said. “They are not diverting away from religions, what they are diverting away is from some kind of a creed or ritualistic practices, some dogmas that do not appeal to the logic mind.”
Bothra also said that common practices often associated with spirituality like meditation are attractive to younger audiences due to the inclusivity with other people that help foster internal growth.
“We look at religion more from dogmatic practices but today’s generation is more looking at rational practice,” Bothra said.
Bothra suggested that if religions want to increase their turnout rates, they should have a new approach that would appeal more to younger generations.
This would include adding a more approachable and comprehensive form of teaching for younger people, rather than the old school practices that churches might still follow.