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Faith and Politics: Gen Z’s Unexpected Turn

Faith and Politics: Gen Z’s Unexpected Turn

Overview

For years, Gen Z has been painted as the most progressive and secular generation in American history. But new research tells a different story: a growing number of Gen Z, especially young men are embracing religion and conservatism.

This shift isn’t without nuance. Politically, Gen Z is far from a monolith, and with organizations like Turning Point USA giving a platform to conservative/religious youth we are seeing two very different paths within the same generation being laid out before us.

Some see Gen Z’s turn toward faith and conservatism as a revival of tradition, family values, and community life. To others, it’s a step toward more rigid, exclusionary ideologies.

Let’s break down both sides of this topic before I jump in with my take.

Revivalists

Those who welcome Gen Z’s shift toward religion and conservatism often root their reasoning in dissatisfaction with liberal norms, particularly among young men. For some, it’s a rebellion, rejecting liberalism as the assumed default for their generation.

Reasoning

  • Katie Couric Media (on Gen Z men distancing from secular norms):“Religion, particularly conservative Christianity, is now being reimagined as a kind of countercultural refuge. Men are encouraged to reclaim a sense of identity and purpose.”¹
  • Ryan Burge (Political Science Professor, Eastern Illinois University):“To be a young person is to rebel against your parents. In my generation it was like, ‘Oh, I grew up very hardcore Catholic or evangelical and so I became an atheist.’ … But imagine if you are a second-generation atheist or third-generation atheist. … The most rebellious thing you can do? It’s to be Orthodox Christian or be Catholic.”²

Gen Z is the first generation to break the pattern of becoming less religious and more liberal, instead holding steady on faith while splitting politically.

Skeptics

Opponents of Gen Z’s turn toward religion and conservatism argue it invites outdated ideologies, especially for women. This is reinforced by the trend of young women moving away from churches and conservative politics, creating an even deeper gender divide.

Concerns

  • Sarah Swartz (Religion and Anthropology Professor, Northeastern University):“This weaponization of Christianity created anxieties for many young Christians who did not align with the moral frameworks advanced by popular figures in right-wing spheres."³
  • American Survey Center:“Gen Z women have seen this pattern flip. Fifty-four percent of Gen Z adults who left their formative religion are women; 46 percent are men.”“Nearly two-thirds of Gen Z women said they do not believe that churches treat men and women equally.”⁴

With more young men leaning conservative, we could expect sharper debates on abortion, extent of free speech, and and the role of religion in schools.

Where does Gen Z really stand?

Here are the numbers.

  • Religion: 2 in 3 Gen Z claim a faith, making them the first generation not less religious than their parents⁵.
  • Politics: 36% liberal, 27% conservative, but the gender split tells the real story: nearly 1 in 3 men identify as conservative, compared to just 1 in 5 women⁶.

Nibbles Take

Has Gen Z really drifted to the right? To some extent, yes.

It is impossible to ignore that young men are increasingly present in conservative and religious spaces, while young women move in the opposite direction. Many young men say progressive spaces feel critical of masculinity and dismissive of traditional roles.

Dialogue matters. Even if no one shifts their view, simply engaging shows that disagreement doesn’t have to end a conversation. And if your goal is to promote progressive policy, it’s worth recognizing that nothing fuels conservative growth more than isolating the other side and retreating into our own bubble.

Take Turning Point USA. It blends politics, religion, and culture into a movement that gives Gen Z conservatives a united voice. Today TPUSA claims over 3,000 campus chapters and 650,000 lifetime student members⁷, making it the dominant youth force on the right. Comparatively the largest group on the left, Young Democrats of America, counts only about 20,000 members nationwide⁸.

The left isn’t absent, Gen Z drives movements like Sunrise (climate), March for Our Lives (guns), and high voter turnout, but lacks one unifying brand like TPUSA.

So why the imbalance?

While I can’t speak for young conservatives, I do believe young progressives and Democrats need to do better at accepting that our party is not a monolith, and it’s okay to disagree on issues.

I’ve seen too many Gen Z on the left iced out for minor disagreements, even when the bigger goals were shared. If we want to match the momentum of organizations like Turning Point USA, we have to navigate our differences through more open conversation - both within our party and across party lines.

  1. Katie Couric Media, Gen Z men bucking secular trends, July 2024. Link
  2. Vox, Gen Z rebellion: faith as counterculture, 2024. Link
  3. Northeastern University, Gen Z and the weaponization of Christianity, June 2025. Link
  4. American Survey Center, Young women leaving church in unprecedented numbers, 2024. Link
  5. Decline of Christianity in the U.S. Has Slowed, May Have Leveled Off, Feb 2025. Link
  6. PRRI, Generation Z Fact Sheet, Apr 2024. Link
  7. Turning Point USA, Media Kit 2025. Link
  8. Young Democrats of America, About. Link