Religion can be controversial with the numerous beliefs people hold to be true. “There are around 10,000 distinct religions in the world” (Wasserman). Christianity, based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ, is the largest religion. Among Gen Z, religion can be misconceived and unpopular. Gen Z is anyone born between 1996 and 2010. They are characterized by their diversity, individualism, social media presence, relevancy, and mental health advocacy. Research states, “More than nine in 10 Gen Z adults (91 percent) said they have experienced at least one physical or emotional symptom because of stress, such as feeling depressed or sad (58percent) or lacking interest, motivation or energy (55 percent)” (Bethune). Not to mention, “The U.S. suicide rate for young people ages 10 to 24 surged by 57%from 2009 to 2019” (“Generation Z”). Gen Z’s mental health can be improved by faith, church, and religion.

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Gen Z’s declining mental health isa result of the current state of the world. With the recent COVID-19 pandemic, school shootings, and the rise in adolescent technology usage, Gen Z has experienced heightened mental health problems. Research states, “In a world where it is nearly impossible to socialize, work, and get an education without technology, Gen Z individuals are ‘always on,’ and this is associated with higher rates of depression, attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and technology addiction” (Park et al.). Technology use can also cause changes in cognitive structure, “Individuals who reported higher amounts of media multitasking had smaller gray matter density in the anterior cingulate cortex [an area of the brain responsible for attention control]” (Lohand Kanai). And “When we take in near-constant technological inputs of text messages, YouTube videos, pictures, or video games, our brain's pleasure centers (ventral tegmental area, nucleus accumbens, and basal ganglia) can become hyperstimulated by dopamine. This overstimulation can make our brain's pleasure centers less responsive to other enjoyable experiences” (“Technology’sEffects”). Compared to older generations who did not grow up with this level of technology, Gen Z has heavily suffered from these effects.

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Regarding religion, “Gen Z includes more religiously unaffiliated Americans and fewer white Christians than older generations, with the exception of millennials” (“PPRI Generation Z”). Three major reasons for Gen Z’s unbelief are “cultural incompatibility, the history of slavery in the church, and the cultural cost of unbelief from families”(Manalang 2). Many individuals feel they “stand out” in religious environments because of their race or ethnicity. Others are discouraged by the history ofslavery and imperialism in the church. Cultural traditions also influence Gen Z to see religion merely as a custom as opposed to a way to connect with God.

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Another common reason for Gen Z’s dislike of religion is church hurt. “‘The Biblical Counseling Coalition defines‘ church hurt’ as ‘the painful experiences of being exploited in the context of a collective local church, where spiritual language or even Scripture may be leveraged to justify wrongdoing and protect offenders.”’ (Runion). A type of church hurt is sexual abuse. A study “concluded there were about 216,000victims of sexual abuse carried out by the French Catholic Church’s clergy between 1950 and 2020” (“Global scale”). Church hurt, and specifically sexual scandals discourages many people from religion. Unfortunately, the church is filled with imperfect humans pursuing a perfect God, so problems like this do exist.

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In contrast, religion has numerous psychological benefits for Gen Z from activities such as praying. Research states, “Across two experiments, participants who were randomly assigned topray about a personal problem reported greater perspective on their problem and more emotional acceptance (in terms of feeling resolved, at peace, and content)than those who were asked to think about the problem for the same amount of time” (McColloch and Parks-Stamm 257). Prayer lets a person directly communicate with God, whom Christians believe controls everything. With all of the stress Gen Z is facing, prayer would help them to be content and at peace.  

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Reading scripture can also lead to psychological benefits. A study concluded, “Teens that read or listen to the Bible are significantly less likely to engage in risky behaviors [smoking, gambling, getting drunk, sex outside of marriage, and destructive thoughts]. Moreover, those who do so at least four times a week have the lowest rates of involvement in all behaviors except pornography” (Coleand Ovwigho 9). Many Gen Zers find themselves in stressful social situations where their morals are tested. Examples of this are parties, friendships, or intimate relationships. By reading the Bible, young people can develop their morals and stand firm on them. Another benefit of reading scripture is being reminded ofGod’s character, which can ground adolescents when they are feeling anxious.

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In addition, attending church services can have psychological benefits. A study found, “Regular religious participation is tied to individual and societal well-being that is, people who have a religious affiliation and attend worship services at least once a month tend to fare better on some (but not all) measures of happiness, health and civic participation” (“Religion’s Relationship”). Involvement in a Christian community and forming relationships with others can lead to improvements in happiness and health. This can lead to improved mental health. Also, participation in a church community can give a person a sense of purpose and belonging.

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From personal experience, I have seen a dramatic increase in my mental health from Christianity. I once struggled with anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts. Feelings of loneliness and purposelessness filled my life. Isolation, ignorance, and overeating are all coping strategies I used to fill this emptiness. These mechanisms were ineffective and caused me to ignore my feelings instead of dealing with them. I also once disliked religion, similar to most of Gen Z.  I did not desire to participate in Christianity because of my misconceptions. My perception of religion was narrow; I thought it was only a set of rules God demanded Christians to follow. When I stopped focusing on rules and rituals, but instead focused on a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, my life and perception of religion changed. I started to implement reading scripture, attending church, and praying into my daily life.I found I was able to better manage my emotions, and subsequently, my mental health improved.

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Similar to my personal experience, much of Gen Z misses out on experiencing God’s presence, the real solution to mental health issues, because they are prioritizing religious rituals more than their personal relationship with Jesus. The word religion means the practice of religious beliefs, ritual observance of faith. The word relationship means the way in which two things are connected. When you fall in love with who God is, the obedience of His teachings and rules will follow. Following Jesus’ teachings will result in increased mental health, especially among Gen Z. But to have a healthy religious life, people must first focus on their relationship with God.

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Gen Z is diverse and unique.Considering all of the negative world events in the past decades, they have grown up differently than any other generation. New technological innovations and social dilemmas cause Gen Z to have declined mental health. Forming a relationship with Jesus Christ through faith, church, and religion, would increase Gen Z’s mental health.

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Works Cited

Bethune, Sophie. “Gen Z More Likelyto Report Mental Health Concerns.” American Psychological Associations, vol.50, no. 1, January 2019, www.apa.org/monitor/2019/01/gen-z.

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Cole, Arnold, and Pamela CaudillOvwigho. "Bible Engagement & Social Behavior: How Familiarity &Frequency of Contact with the Bible Affects One’s Behavior." Center ForBible Engagement, 2009, https://bttbfiles.com/web/docs/cbe/Bible_Engagement_and_Social_Behavior.pdf

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“Generation Z and Mental Health.” TheAnnie E. Casey Foundation, 3 Mar 2021, www.aecf.org/blog/generation-z-and-mental-health.

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“The Global Scale of Child Sexual Abusein the Catholic Church.” Aljazeera, 5 Oct 2021, www.aljazeera.com/news/2021/10/5/awful-truth-child-sex-abuse-in-the-catholic-church.

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Loh, Kep Kee, and Ryota Kanai. “HigherMedia Multi-Tasking Activity Is Associated with Smaller Gray-Matter Density inthe Anterior Cingulate Cortex.” National Library of Medicine, 24 Sept2014, https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0106698.

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Manalang, Aprilfaye T."Generation Z, Minority Millennials and Disaffiliation from ReligiousCommunities: Not Belonging and the Cultural Cost of Unbelief." InterdisciplinaryJournal of Research on Religion, vol. 17, article 2, 2021, https://www.religjournal.com/pdf/ijrr17002.pdf?

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McCulloch, Kathleen C., andElizabeth J. Parks-Stamm. “Reaching Resolution: The Effect of Prayer onPsychological Perspective and Emotional Acceptance.” Psychology of Religionand Spirituality, vol. 12, no. 2, May 2020, pp. 254–59. EBSCOhost, https://doi.org/10.1037/rel0000234.

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Park, Susanna Y., et al. “DigitalMethods for the Spiritual and Mental Health of Generation Z: ScopingReview.” Interactive Journal of Medical Research, vol. 13, 6 Feb.2024, pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10879969/#:~:text=In%20a%20world%20where%20it,and%20technology%20addiction%20%5B5%5D.

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“PPRI Generation Z Fact Sheet.” PublicReligion Research Institute, 29 Mar 2024, www.prri.org/spotlight/prri-generation-z-fact-sheet/#:~:text=Two%2Dthirds%20of%20Gen%20Zers%20are%20religious%2C%20this%20includes%2010,they%20never%20attend%20religious%20services.

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“Religion’s Relationship toHappiness, Civic Engagement and Health Around the World.” Pew ResearchCenter, 31 Jan. 2019. www.pewresearch.org/religion/2019/01/31/religions-relationship-to-happiness-civic-engagement-and-health-around-the-world/.

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Runion, Natalie. “Healing ChurchHurt.” National Association of Evangelicals, 31 May 2024, www.nae.org/healing-church-hurt/#:~:text=The%20Biblical%20Counseling%20Coalition%20defines,range%20of%20experiences%20in%20which.

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“Technology's Effects on our Brains& Bodies.” Pepperdine University Boone Center for the Family, 11 Aug2020, boonecenter.pepperdine.edu/relationship-iq/blog/posts/technology_effects_on_our_brains_and_bodies.htm

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Wasserman, Pam. “World Populationby Religion: A Global Tapestry of Faith.” Population Education, 12 Jan2024, populationeducation.org/world-population-by-religion-a-global-tapestry-of-faith/#:~:text=While%20there%20are%20around%2010%2C000,%2C%20and%20Buddhism%20(7%25).