The American Worldview Inventory 2021, the most recent research from Arizona Christian University (ACU), demonstrates that significant spiritual views differ significantly throughout contemporary generations.
The American Worldview Inventory 2021, a study of American adults' philosophy of life, evaluated the worldviews of four generations: millennials (born 1984-2002), Gen X (1965-1983), baby boomers (1946-1964), and builders (born 1946-1964). (1927-1945).
Per Christian Post's report, researchers found that millennials have gone farther than previous generations in severing links with conventional Christian beliefs and biblical teaching.
For example, over half of all baby boomers say that they will go to Heaven exclusively because they confessed their sins and accepted Jesus as their Savior, whereas only 26% of Gen X and 16% of millennials believe this.
Builders think that they should treat people the way they want to be treated, whereas just around half of millennials agree.
In addition, millennials are more likely than boomers to say they do not know, do not care, or do not think God exists, with 43 percent saying so. In addition, 44 percent of millennials think Satan is real and influential, compared to 64 percent of boomers.
Younger Americans are also substantially more inclined than earlier generations to believe horoscopes as a guide and Karma as a life philosophy, to consider "getting even" with others as justifiable, to believe evolution over creation, and to consider owning property as supporting economic inequality.
Younger Americans are significantly more prone than older Americans to doubt the Bible and feel God is completely disinterested in people's lives.
Surprisingly, the majority of Americans, ranging from 57% of millennials to 83 % of builders identify as Christians. (It's worth noting that many who call themselves "Christians" do not necessarily believe what the Bible says. These people, according to a previous poll, believe in "Moralistic Therapeutic Deism," or simply "watered-down, feel-good, fake Christianity.")
Researchers feel that the views and practices of younger Americans, particularly millennials, "threaten to reshape the nation's religious parameters beyond recognition."
They added, "In fact, this radical spiritual revolution has created a generation seeking a reimagined world without God, the Bible, or churches."
According to the report, Gen X and millennials have "solidified dramatic changes in the nation's central beliefs and lifestyles," adding, "The result is a culture in which core institutions, including churches, and basic ways of life are continually being radically redefined."
The American World Inventory backs up a previous Barna poll that indicated that two-thirds of teenagers and young adults (65 %) believed that "many religions can lead to eternal life," up to 58 % in 2018.
Furthermore, compared to only 25% in 2018, 31% of teenagers and young adults "strongly agree" that what is "morally right and wrong changes over time based on society."
Gallup recently revealed that one in every six Gen Z adults identifies as LGBT, the greatest rate of any generation in history, and that figure is expected to rise.
Despite the issues confronting today's youth, Jacob Bland, the new president and CEO of Youth for Christ, told The Christian Post that he is optimistic about the future.
"Teens today are facing crises like never before, but it's often in the darkness that light shines the brightest," he remarked. "To enter into a disciple-making relationship where you're introducing a kid to an unconditional love that maybe they've never even considered, showing them the goodness and love modeled in Jesus - there's a lot of hope in that."
"Jesus has a way of being new and fresh for the circumstances of today, and He is certainly doing that," Bland concluded.
Furthermore, the research suggests that there is one generation in particular that the church should focus its missionary efforts on.
As mentioned in CBN News report in January, evangelist and Pulse ministry founder Nick Hall believes it all boils down to equipping more Christians to share the promise of Christ with a new generation. Pulse was able to reach more than 100 million people with the gospel last year, even while the COVID-19 epidemic raged over the globe.
Young folks are seekers, says Hall to CBN's The Prayer Link.
He stated, "What I am hearing from young believers is really a desire to come together around the need to share Jesus, to share the Gospel. There's all sorts of opinions about all sorts of things, all sorts of ideas and yet there is one thing that changes everything, and so I am seeing people praying, fasting, and really believing that man, no matter what happens, we know that God is in control and we need to trust Him now more than ever."
