How Digital Religion is Shaping Millennial Spirituality
Author: University of Waterloo
Published: 2022/07/27 - Updated: 2023/07/04
Publication Type: Informative - Peer-Reviewed: Yes
Topic: Disability and Religion (Publications Database)
Page Content: Synopsis Definition Introduction Main Item
Synopsis: As digital forms of communication increased, many in the religious community saw an opportunity to stem the tide of secularization in North America.
• We've found that while digital religion isn't necessarily attracting a lot of new millennials to participate, it is making the experience of those already involved richer.
• While past scholarship has examined the adoption of digital religion and its role in spirituality, Wilkins-Laflamme's report is the first to investigate who is practicing it and to what end.
Introduction
The growing trend of digital religion among US and Canadian millennials mostly complements, not substitutes, in-person participation in organized religion, a new study found.
Main Item
As digital forms of communication increased, many in the religious community saw an opportunity to stem the tide of secularization in North America.
The study by University of Waterloo sociology professor Sarah Wilkins-Laflamme explores if digital technologies facilitate a 'spiritual revolution' and if they provide important spiritual and religious spaces for new population segments removed from more conventional forms of organized religion.
"We know that more and more people are turning towards digital mediums for spirituality such as chat groups with pastors, online sermons, and religious content on social media," said Wilkins-Laflamme. "We've found that while digital religion isn't necessarily attracting a lot of new millennials to participate, it is making the experience of those already involved richer."
Wilkins-Laflamme notes that while digital religion is a phenomenon among many millennials, it's not a part of the lives of the vast majority of this demographic.
"It is still present though for a sizeable minority of the young adult population, and many of them, digital religion plays an important complementary role to the in-person practicing of their faith," said Wilkins-Laflamme.
While past scholarship has examined the adoption of digital religion and its role in spirituality, Wilkins-Laflamme's report is the first to examine who is practicing it and to what end.
"Social environment does play an important role, with digital religion practices much more prevalent in the generally more religious U.S. context, compared with the generally more secular Canadian context," said Wilkins-Laflamme. "Digital religion practices are often, but not always, tied to other in-person religious and spiritual activities among millennials."
The study, Digital Religion Among U.S. and Canadian Millennial Adults, was published in the Review of Religious Research.
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Attribution/Source(s):
This peer reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World due to its significant relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by University of Waterloo, and published on 2022/07/27 (Edit Update: 2023/07/04), the content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity. For further details or clarifications, University of Waterloo can be contacted at uwaterloo.ca. NOTE: Disabled World does not provide any warranties or endorsements related to this article.
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Cite This Page (APA): University of Waterloo. (2022, July 27 - Last revised: 2023, July 4). How Digital Religion is Shaping Millennial Spirituality. Disabled World. Retrieved December 12, 2024 from www.disabled-world.com/communication/religion/digital-religion.php
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