With recent studies suggesting that Generation Z - also known as 'Zoomers' - are starting to turn to Christianity in staggering numbers, particularly young men, it might be worth looking at why this might be on a personal level.
Young men have been embracing the church, particularly the Catholic Church. One example of this phenomenon is Connor Tomlinson, a conservative activist and broadcaster who describes himself as a “Reactionary Catholic Zoomer”.
Tomlinson is half Irish and was baptised into the Catholic Church as a child. He did not attend church regularly as a child but did attend a Church of England primary school simply because it was local and had good results.
Speaking to Catholic Family News last year, Tomlinson spoke of his return to the Catholic Church.
The catalyst was the suicide of an uncle. “It really impacted my family,” Tomlinson said, “As a kid I didn’t see how badly it had hurt them at the time, but obviously it was a deep wound and they found solace in going back to their local church.”
Despite this and being confirmed, Tomlinson said as a teenager he didn’t really feel a connection to the church or the faith, being far more interested in video games. He “coasted along” and was “nihilistic”.
Things started to change however in 2019. “I’d been listening to the likes of Jordan Peterson and various intellectual cultural Christians, and I was both persecuted by my university at the time and had a relationship fall through.”
“I had to piece my own worldview back together … It was strange that all the best people I knew in conservative circles were Christians, all the best people I knew personally were Christians."
It wasn’t until a couple of years later however until Tomlinson took the plunge into the world of faith. He spoke to a former friend who had returned to church who simply told him, “Just believe it you idiot and see what happens.”
It was at this point that he finally had the “humility” to start going to church accompanied by his grandmother. “Ever since I’ve loved attending every Sunday.”
