Faithandleadership.com reports on a study into the religious faith of 18-29 year olds in the USA led by researchers at Rice University and the University of Notre Dame. Some quotes from the article:
More than half of respondents ages 18-29 said religion or religious faith was very important, extremely important or the most important part of their lives. … Factors that do predict high levels of religious commitment … include frequent prayer and Scripture reading, personal religious experiences, highly religious parents, and caring and supportive adults in congregations. Adult involvement, in particular, should not be underestimated … “The question is never whether adults are engaged in religious socialization, but only how and with what effect they are doing so.”
No slogan or appeal empty of religious substance will have young adults knocking down the doors of houses of worship. But the hard work, starting at an early age, of integrating young people into communities where they are nurtured, cared for and given spiritual direction makes a difference.