In the past, Kerkgang was self -evident and the faith was passed on by families. But since the 1960s, many turned their backs on the church. Now a new generation, young adults without religious upbringing, shows interest in faith. “As if that interest has skipped a few generations,” says parishwiller Hans van der Leeuw.
Shift in the church
With the arrival of a new generation, a shift is taking place. “There is a new dynamic in the church,” says Jordi Joosten of the Youth Pastorate Diocese of Haarlem-Amsterdam. Many parishioners and churchgoers are happy with the arrival of the new guard. “It is the older generation that gets more energy from it.”
Big questions of life
There is a big difference between the generation that has been with the church all their lives and the group of young people who recently joined the church. “For many elderly people, faith has become a habit, while young people mainly come to us with great life questions,” explains Joosten.
Young adults who join the church are interested in the rituals and stories that faith gives them, but according to Van der Leeuw there is also thought about the tone and stories that are told from the Bible. “The Bible is a rich book, it is certainly considering the world of experience for young people.”
Slight trend breakage
That increasing interest confirms the VU research, God in the Netherlands, It shows that Generation Z (year of birth 2001-2007) is more interested in Christianity than the generations for them. In the study, 27 percent of the unsolicited generation Z call themselves religious, while only 22 percent of the millennials do.