Religion has always been a part of American life, back to the country’s founding days. But as much as it’s been used to unite people as “one nation under God,” it’s also becoming a dividing force on a political level, leading to people straying away from identifying with one church. But now, one demographic group is shifting this trend: Generation Z, which Pew Research defines as being born between 1997 and 2012.
Members of the generation — also known as Zoomers — have been increasingly drawn toward religion, particularly Christianity, with data showing the number of Americans who don’t identify with one particular church is stabilizing thanks to them. “Americans are very religious as a nation, and we’re in this period of people trying to redefine what that is,” said Liz Bucar, a religion professor at Northeastern University. “I think that’s what’s happening with Zoomers in general.”