How Digital Religion Is Reshaping Millennial Faith

Author: University of Waterloo
Published: 2022/07/27 - Updated: 2025/04/12
Publication Details: Peer-Reviewed, Research, Study, Analysis
Category Topic: Disability and Religion - Academic Publications

Page Content: Synopsis - Introduction - Main - Insights, Updates

Synopsis: This report examines how digital religion is shaping spirituality among millennials, highlighting its role in enriching their faith experiences. The study, published in the Review of Religious Research, reveals that digital platforms such as online sermons, chat groups with pastors, and religious social media content are not replacing traditional in-person religious practices but complementing them for a significant minority of millennials. It explores the social contexts influencing digital religion, noting its prevalence in more religious environments like the U.S. compared to secular settings like Canada. This information is particularly relevant for understanding how technology can offer spiritual spaces for individuals who may face barriers to physical participation, including seniors and people with disabilities, by providing accessible avenues for engagement - Disabled World (DW).

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 Content

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.

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"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.

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

Attribution/Source(s): This peer reviewed publication was selected for publishing by the editors of Disabled World (DW) due to its relevance to the disability community. Originally authored by University of Waterloo and published on 2022/07/27, this content may have been edited for style, clarity, or brevity.