More than a quarter of the participants from Canada (28 per cent) said spirituality involves having a deep sense of inner peace or happiness, a response that was unique to Canadian youths.
Meanwhile young people in Australia, the UK, and the United States all defined spirituality first and foremost as believing there is a purpose to life.
In focus groups, some young people expressed the differences they see between spirituality, religion, and religious institutions.
“Spiritual is something one experiences in your own being. Religion is, well, your religion,” said a 15-year-old girl from South Africa. “Most of our religion is forced - the do’s and don’ts. Being spiritual means standing on a mountain with the wind blowing through your hair, and the feeling of being free.”
Another 15-year-old girl from Australia said, “‘Religious’ is kind of knowing the things in your head, but ‘spiritual’ is knowing them in your heart.”
Most of those surveyed perceived being spiritual is good (72 per cent) as well as being religious (67 per cent). About one in four youths around the world see being spiritual or religious as neither good nor bad.
When it comes to spiritual help, most young people said they turn to their family (44 per cent) and friends (15 per cent). Only 14 per cent of youth indicated that their religious institution helps them the most.
Nearly one in five youth (18 per cent) said they have no one to help them regarding their spiritual lives.
The proportion of youth who said no one helps them increases to 38 per cent in the UK and 37 per cent in Australia. Only 4 per cent of youth in Cameroon said no one helps them spiritually.
Don Ratcliff, Wheaton College’s Price-LeBar Professor of Christian Education and an adviser to the Center for Spiritual Development, reflected on the research study.
“I am impressed that while church attendance decreased for most teenagers, a large majority still affirm belief in God and a spiritual dimension to life, as well as believing in life after death."
Ratcliff hopes that this study will lead to additional research related to the reasons for the decline in church attendance that may have roots in childhood as well as adolescent years.
