Functions of Religion among Young People: Diverse Religious, Spiritual and Non-religious Worldviews

Dear Colleagues,

Youth and religion, the two main terms that structure this Special Issue of Religions, have been linked in an enormously complex way throughout Western modernity. However, in traditional societies, this relationship was much simpler for at least two reasons: forms of religiosity were more homogeneous, referring to common practices and beliefs (Bellah, 2011; Berger, 1969; Durkheim, 1992; Taylor, 2007), and youth did not have a particular and distinct condition within those societies; rather, their model to emulate was that of the adult world (Ariès, 1987; Becci & Julia, 1998). In this context, the religious universe gave meaning to nearly all orders of existence, guiding the lives of new generations under adult supervision. In this way, rituals marking the transition from one life stage to another were imbued with religious significance.

During the modernization process of Western societies, this entire reality underwent a profound transformation (Casanova, 2013; Taylor, 2007). On the one hand, youth began to acquire a unique and differentiated status and progressively withdrew from the arenas of adult life due to their integration into other spheres, such as education, leisure and consumption, alongside their peers (Bauman, 2010; Lipovestky, 2007). On the other hand, this process saw the emergence of new ways of believing, as well as new forms of disbelief (Beck, 2009; Berger, 2014; Beriain, 2000; Davie, 2015; Joas, 2021; Taylor, 2007).

This new religiosity and these modes of disbelief were particularly associated with the experiences and values of youths (Taylor, 1992), but also with new forms of socialization and transmission between generations (Hervieu-Léger, 2005; Strhan & Shillitoe, 2019; Woodhead, 2016).

The main aim of this Special Issue is to understand how and why the worlds of religion and non-religion are present among youth today, and how all this is connected with intergenerational transmissions.

We start from a consideration of religion linked to beliefs and practices, rites, forms of sacredness and transcendence, and the relationships between the spheres of the transcendent and the immanent (Duque, 2014). From this perspective, we will examine the different forms of religiosity and spirituality prevalent among youth, as well as the various types of disbelief. 

Potential Topics:

• Youth, sacredness and ritual.
• Youth, forms of spirituality, religiosity and disbelief.
• Youth and the universes of transcendence and immanence. Relationships and tensions.
• Intergenerational relationships and modes of religiosity, spirituality and disbelief. 

We request that, prior to submitting a manuscript, interested authors initially submit a proposed title and an abstract of 200-300 words summarizing their intended contribution. Please send this to the Guest Editor or to the Assistant Editor of Religions. Abstracts will be reviewed by the Guest Editors for the purpose of ensuring proper fit within the scope of this Special Issue. Full manuscripts will undergo double-blind peer review.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Prof. Dr. Eduardo Duque
Prof. Dr. José Francisco Durán Vázquez
Prof. Dr. Francis Davis
Guest Editors

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• religion
• youth
• belief
• unbelief
• spirituality
• plurality
• generations