Name: Curiosity appears to be driving Gen Z toward religion
Uploaded: 2025-12-26T16:30:12.726Z
Duration: 2 min 10 s
Description: A recent Angus Reid survey found Canadians between 18 and 24 were the most likely to be religiously committed, a trend that several faith leaders attribute to a curiosity about faith as well as a search for a sense of purpose.

A recent Angus Reid survey found Canadians between 18 and 24 were the most likely to be religiously committed, a trend that several faith leaders attribute to a curiosity about faith as well as a search for a sense of purpose.

Toronto

Recent trends in Canada indicate that Generation Z, those born between 1997 and 2012, are increasingly engaging with religion. Young people are attending religious services in greater numbers, motivated by curiosity about life's purpose and a desire for fulfillment that they do not find elsewhere. 

A study by Angus Reid found that Canadians aged 18 to 24 are the most likely to be religiously committed, with Gen Z also being the most religiously diverse generation in the country. Faith leaders report not only new worshippers but also former members returning to religion, reflecting a broader spiritual search among young Canadians.

Curiosity appears to be driving Gen Z toward religion

22-year-old Storm Laro started attending this downtown Toronto church less than two years ago. A personal decision that fits into a Canada-wide picture of religious younger Canadians. He says he's found fulfillment. For me, it was like searching for things like love, things like identity, purpose, stuff like that that I couldn't really find elsewhere, whether it was through sports or grades or relationships. Laro is part of Gen Z, those born between 1997 and 2012, now in their teens and twenties. I think many young people are starting to realize that they don't know what happens, say, after they die. They don't know what their purpose is. So that curiosity leads them to especially ask questions of Christianity and other religion as well. The leaders at his church say more young people are coming to their services in the last couple of years. I would say it's a spiritual hunger, for lack of a better term, a spiritual hunger that they're expressing where it may not be just to learn about Christianity, but they're exploring different religions. A recent study by Angus Reid found Canadians between the ages of 18 and 24 are the most likely to be religiously committed, followed closely by those 25 to 34. Gen Z is now the most religiously diverse generation we've ever seen. So there's higher rates of Hinduism, of Islam, of Sikhism. Imam Musleh Khan teaches Islamic theology to young people. He says more are approaching him with curiosity towards his faith. Usually when students are done high school and they start thinking about more, that there's more to life than just chilling out and having fun. Why am I here? What's the purpose of life? What am I doing? These questions start to boil up. Faith leaders at this church say it's not just new worshippers coming through their doors. They've noticed people who have left the religion coming back and bringing others with them. Michelle Song, CBC News, Toronto.

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