The State of Religion & Young People 2023

Young people have made it overwhelmingly clear: finding the sacred in the everyday is integral to their well-being. And they want your help in their search. The State of Religion & Young People 2023: Exploring the Sacred investigates how young people experience the sacred and how it impacts their lives. This year’s report uncovers how young people encounter the sacred beyond traditional spaces, experiencing moments that evoke a sense of wonder, awe, and connection—both in person and online. Young people see the sacred: 55% of young people, regardless of religious affiliation, report having experienced a sacred moment. And sacred moments make life more meaningful: young people said it helped them feel connected to something real (87%) or feel they were in the presence of something larger than themselves (81%). This report offers trusted adults new ways to help cultivate experiences of the sacred for young people: Discover the concept of Sacred Sensibility—the capacity for young people to see, appreciate, and respond to the sacred—which will give leaders a new vantage point from which to design experiences, have conversations, and cultivate relationships. Enrich young people’s spiritual journeys and help set the stage for greater personal and spiritual growth, and for connectedness with each other. As young people search for ways to make sense of an increasingly complex world, you can walk alongside them. The State of Religion & Young People 2023: Exploring the Sacred is your guide as you join them on this journey.