A recent study revealed that more young black adults are stepping away from the Christian faith, citing racial injustice in the church and secular influences as key reasons.
According to the survey released by Barna Group last week, captured by Christianity Today, only two-thirds of black millennials and Gen Z identify as Christians, 10% fewer than black Gen Xers and 20% lesser than black Boomers.
Shaylen Hardy, national director of black campus ministries for InterVarsity Christian Fellowship, said that the decline is caused by racism prevailing in the church.
"Black young adults have become cynical about the gospel's credibility because of the persistence of racial injustice and white supremacy. They reject the silence (and complicity) they find in some church communities. As a result, they may be likely to view the church's entire belief system as uncredible and untrustworthy," she noted.
Hardy also stated that students start to doubt the Christian faith upon seeing the contradiction of Biblical teachings and church practices, tolerating racial injustice on black community, causing them to leave the church completely.
"Without someone to walk alongside them, they cannot isolate the problematic parts while retaining the core," Hardy added.
But the study also showed that black young people are still more likely to identify as Christians, with 65% of black millennials and 67% of black Gen Z, compared to just 63% and 61% of the overall millennials and Gen Z, respectively.
The influence of secularism on the younger generations of black Americans, supporting their doubts over the church, also poses a concern.
"There's a new power and influence of secular media content in the mainstream that has greater impact on younger Black people than on older generations," Jeffrey Wright said, CEO of Urban Ministries, Barna's survey partner.
For the past few years, perseverance of the black Christian community has been tested and displayed in the mainstream media, following the rise of the Black Lives Matter movement. In addition, the killings of various black individuals, such as Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery, Daunte Wright and George Floyd, have contributed to their sentiments and have drawn them more to black Christian views.
Hardy suggested that they have to be given the opportunities to lead.
"Black young adults have more ways and places to invest their leadership energies than prior generations. If we don't make space for them, other people will welcome their time and attention," she said.
Barna's findings also showed that the black church continues to be a refuge for black Americans from their feeling of powerlessness in the political system.
"Black emerging generations still have faith in the core of the black church. Because of this, authenticity and inclusion are both necessary. Don't make the assumption that you are 'winning young souls to Christ.' Instead, show emerging generations what followers of a risen Christ look like in the midst of the turmoil that exists today," Brianna K. Parker said, CEO of Black Millenial Café, Barna's another research partner.
