2026: The God Resurgence?

For Gen Z, the ‘anything goes’ philosophy of modern secularism can feel less like freedom and more like a vacuum.

Stepping into a friend’s kitchen, I found myself locked in a gaze with a “hot priest” from the Calendario Romano 2026 - a viral calendar that offers a fresh blessing of an attractive ‘clergyman’ every month. It is an example of a broader shift: religious imagery is flooding into the homes and wardrobes of Gen Z, with many youngsters adorning their party outfits with rosary beads and curating Pinterest boards of Mother Mary tattoos.

Nothing exemplifies this “Hot for God” era better than Catalan singer Rosalía. Her latest album Lux is an impressive blend of divine longing, intense spirituality and tension between the sacred and profane. She embraces herself on the album’s cover art, wearing a nun’s veil, combining spiritual yearning with carnal love, whilst her Spotify video-loop features a bleached-blond halo adorning her dark hair. Even her fashion is a relic; her Alexander McQueen Spring/ Summer 2003 ‘Irere’ sandals, adorned with wooden beads and detachable crosses, have become one of the most talked about vintage items of the year. The Vatican’s critical acclaim of the album suggests that even the oldest institution in the world recognizes that, for Gen Z, the feeling is the prerequisite for the believing.

Source: Youtube, Berghain music video by Rosalía

Similarly, Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter examines her relationship with God through ‘AMEN’ and ‘AMERICAN AMERIICAN REQUIEM”, whilst TV shows like The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives and Fleabag illuminate a culture that’s hungry for stories about God.

So, could 2026 be the year that Gen Z finds God? A further scroll on social media suggests it might. As Pope Leo XIV graced a DJ set with a hologram message to celebrate Archbishop Bernard Bober’s 75th birthday, there is a clear effort by the Vatican to engage younger generations; and it might just be working.

Statistics

A survey of 10,000 people commissioned by Christopher Gasson revealed that 62% of 18 to 24 year olds identified as “very” or “fairly” spiritual whilst only 13% said that they were atheists. This compares to only 35% of boomers (60-79 year olds), 36% of Gen X (55 to 64 year olds) and 52% of Millennials (35 to 44 year olds) who said that they are “very” or “fairly” religious. Similarly, a YouGov poll showed that in August 2021 just 16% of 18-24 year olds said that they believed in God, which jumped to 45% in January 2025, revealing that belief in God in the UK among young people tripled in four years.

So, Gen Z is half as likely as their parents to identify as atheists, but why is this happening?

Source: The Christian Science Monitor

Internet culture

A generation of contradictions, Gen Z are the most digitally tethered cohort in history, yet they are uniquely isolated. Between the lingering ‘social atrophy’ of the pandemic and a cost of living that has priced them out of physical community spaces, Gen Z has retreated further into individualism. A 2024 global survey by GWI confirms this crisis, revealing that 80% of Gen Z felt lonely in the past year, nearly double the 45% reported by Baby Boomers.

Yet, the same screens that facilitate this isolation are now serving as digital stained-glass windows. As Sky News reports, many are “learning about religion for the very first time” through 30-second clips, using the very technology that isolates them to find an ancient path out of it.

The self-directed exploration allowed by social media has introduced Gen Z to visual theology and ‘trad trends’, where faith is no longer presented as a lecture, but as a lifestyle - one that is intriguing, refreshing and profoundly calming.

The movement is most visible in the ‘tradwife’ (traditional wife) phenomenon that has been championed by creators such as Nara Smith and Hannah Neeleman, both Mormon creators, who vlog their lives as domestic mothers completing everyday tasks. Nara Smith, the 24 year old Mormon influencer romanticized the ‘trad-wife’ lifestyle, making everything from cereal to sunscreen from raw ingredients for her millions of followers. To a generation burnt out by the ‘girlboss’ hustle, Smith’s content offers a hypnotic alternative: a return to the hearth.

Image: Nara Smith, Vogue Singapore

Some Gen Z are seeking this return to tradition, with a significant number of young men flocking to more structured and traditional forms of religion, particularly Catholicism and Orthodox Christianity. The Quiet Revival found that just 4% of 18-24 year olds in 2018 said that they attended church at least monthly, but by 2025 this had risen to 16%.

I have witnessed this phenomenon, particularly with boys in their twenties who have never questioned a higher being before, but suddenly feel motivated to seek one as they face the daunting question of what they want from life. The ‘anything goes’ philosophy of modern secularism feels less like freedom and more like a vacuum.

They stated that lack of societal and parental pressure makes them feel more autonomous to make choices regarding religion, religion for them is now more of a curiosity than a burden. Without parental or societal mandates, religion has transitioned from a historical burden to a modern curiosity. For these young men, choosing to bow before an altar is the ultimate act of rebellion against a world that tells them they are their own gods.

Image: Orthodox Times

Alternative forms

This does not necessarily mean that all young people are subscribing to organised religion, but that they are increasingly open to searching for meaning, a higher being. The Gasson survey also found that the ways that young people are making connections with God is decreasingly to do with organised religion. Gasson explains that in the UK, religion in Britain has become largely a private matter. For most Britons, however, belief falls somewhere in between: they may adopt religious labels or take part in services while holding personal, individual views about the nature of God. Regardless, the pattern is clear; Gen Z are searching for God.

According to the Chinese Zodiac, 2026 is the Year of the Horse, a biblical symbol of strength and power. It seems fitting that in such a turbulent world, young people are turning back to the pews, searching for a foundation that feels as solid as the wooden beads on Rosalía’s pair of vintage McQueen sandals.