A new survey conducted by the Pew Research Center highlights the evolving relationship between technology and faith, particularly among young adults.
The study reveals that approximately 48 percent of U.S. adults ages 18 to 39 regularly engage in religious services online or on television, with two-thirds expressing “high satisfaction” with their virtual experience.
However, the survey found that there’s still something about in-person services that hasn’t been fully replicated virtually. Physical attendees expressed stronger satisfaction with sermons and music compared to virtual viewers.
In addition, those who attended services in person reported feeling a greater sense of connection with fellow worshippers, whereas virtual viewers felt a weaker bond. Approximately 32 percent of remote viewers felt they were watching passively, without truly participating, compared to 25 percent who considered themselves active participants.
Despite the decline in virtual viewers as the pandemic receded and vaccines became widespread, a significant portion of the population (27 percent) continues to participate in online religious services. Of this group, 10 percent engage solely in virtual worship, while 17 percent regularly attend hybrid churches — with three out of four sharing a preference for in-person worship.
The survey also delved into social media usage related to religion. Approximately 17 percent of respondents reported posting or sharing content about religion online, while 11 percent had posted prayer requests on social media platforms. Additionally, 42 percent of participants had encountered others’ prayer requests online. Interestingly, 20 percent watch religion-related videos on platforms like YouTube or TikTok.
