New research has found that 64% of Gen Z agree that it is possible to believe in God and evolution, which is at least 10% more than any other age group. The findings are part of a new report from Theos and The Faraday Institute. Dr Nick Spencer from the Theos think tank told Premier he was torn about whether the research was surprising: “Yes, it was surprising because I wasn’t expecting the most positive attitude to come from younger respondents. No, because I’ve been working in science for a very long time now and I’m conscious that in the whole debate there is not much fire and quite a lot of smoke. “It’s a view that lots and lots of people have an opinion on and have strong opinions on. “It’s not quite the raging battlefield that so many people think.” When asked if the young generation are open to everything, Dr Spencer said: “We can’t say definitely without what we call longitudinal data.
“You need to track the data from one generation to another. “So we don’t know if it is something just typical to 16 to 24 year olds and if they grow out of it? Or whether they carry it with them as they get older? My guess is it’s the latter. If you went back 15 years ago, people got really into these views, held them very strongly and that formed them. “Then they carried those antagonistic views with them. Our research was very clear, that moment has passed, but it doesn’t mean people are necessarily all harmonious about this.” Dr Spencer went on “But they’ve got less of their identities invested in it and therefore they’re more willing to have an open discussion about the possibilities. My sense is that it is the beginning of a more open potential for productive conversations.”
Source: Premier Christian News
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