Big revival of interest in religion among many young people in Northern Ireland, says new poll
A revival of religious interest among young people in Northern Ireland has been revealed by a new poll commissioned by The Iona Institute.
The study, conducted by Amarach Research with a representative sample of 1,200 adults, suggests that the decline in religious engagement seen in previous decades may be reversing, particularly among 18 to 24-year-olds.
According to the findings, 30% of respondents in this youngest age group hold a “very positive” attitude towards Christianity, compared with just 4% who view it “very negatively.”
This “Quiet Revival,” as it has been dubbed in Britain, mirrors similar trends observed in the Republic of Ireland, the UK, and the United States.
The survey paints a complex picture of belief in Northern Ireland. While 56% of respondents describe themselves as religious or spiritual, 39% say they are neither, highlighting growing polarization on matters of faith.
The so-called “nones” – those who claim no religious affiliation - now make up 36% of the population, rivalling the traditional Catholic (28%) and Protestant (combined 25%) categories.
Among Catholics, 40% are regular mass-goers - twice the rate found in the Republic of Ireland. Across all groups, 51% say they pray, 44% attend religious services, and 38% read spiritual texts such as the Bible, a much higher figure than the Republic.
Furthermore, 49% of respondents view Christianity favourably, versus 23% for the Catholic Church and 30% for the Protestant Churches, which hints at hostility towards the institutions. Findings also state that scandals are a big driver of unfavourable attitudes towards the Catholic Church.
Commenting on some of the findings, David Quinn of The Iona Institute said: “The fact that some kind of revival of interest in religion is occurring among the youngest age group surveyed should encourage all the Churches. It is not an outlier finding because polls elsewhere have seen the same thing. Maybe a growing subset of young people are concluding that secularism isn’t really giving satisfactory answers to life’s big questions."
He added that the future may see fewer “cultural Christians” (people who say they are Christian but don’t practice) and a sharper divide between believers and non-believers - but that “religion is not disappearing, contrary to past predictions.”