By: Kim Wilkinson
New study finds that 4 in 5 Australians, particularly young people, are open to talking about spiritual topics, including views that are different from their own.
Younger generations are the most open to having a conversation about spirituality.
The research, conducted by McCrindle Research on behalf of Alpha Australia surveyed 1,000 Australian adults. The study found that 4 in 10 Australians were either extremely (20%) or very (18%) open to exploring different faiths and spiritual views. Younger Australians are more likely to be extremely or very open to these conversations (50% Gen Z, 44% Gen Y cf. 39% Gen X, 25% Baby Boomers; 31% Builders). 1 in 3 of those aged 57 or over said they would not be open to a spiritual conversation about views held other than their own.
Melinda Dwight, National Director of Alpha Australia says, “There is a great deal of uncertainty and fear as we as a country rebuild post Covid. Many Australians have come to the conclusion that there is value in the exploration of who we are spiritually and that individualism and materialism are ultimately deeply dissatisfying.”
The poll also found that men were less likely to be open than women to a spiritual conversation, with 1 in 4 saying they were strongly committed to their current views and would not consider exploring other faiths or spiritual views (24% men cf. 17% women).
Millions of people around the world have attended Alpha to explore the Christian faith in a safe and welcoming setting. Despite recent reports of Christianity in decline in Australia in recent decades, Alpha Australia has seen over 500,000 attending since it launched.
Ben Higgins, National Youth Director says “For years, hundreds of thousands of Australians have seen Alpha as a safe space – not only to explore questions of faith, but to feel a real sense of belonging. In a culture where isolation and superficiality are the norms, Alpha creates an opportunity for young people to develop meaningful relationships and explore deep topics, without fear of ostracism or judgement.”
About Alpha Australia
Millions of people have tried Alpha all around the world, and it has been translated into over 100 different languages. Developed as a short course at HTB in London, in 1990 Nicky Gumbel took over running Alpha and found that many people outside of the church wanted to explore the Christian faith. Alpha now runs in every part of the global church, including the Catholic Church, the Orthodox Church and all mainline Protestant denominations.
About the research
Results based on an online survey of 1,000 Australian adults, representative of the Australian population by age, gender and state/territory. Fieldwork conducted from 12 – 17 March, 2021. Conducted by McCrindle Research.
Article supplied with thanks to Christian Media & Arts Australia.
About the author: Kim is a media and communications professional who specialises in building community and valuable relationships.
Feature image: Photo by Mimi Thian on Unsplash