British teenagers have a positive perception of Jesus, according to an international study – while an unrelated report has revealed ‘woeful’ religious illiteracy among UK civil servants.
The group behind the report on teens said its goal is to help UK churches and Christian leaders ‘engage, disciple, and support this rising generation’. It is thought to be the first time such a study – by Barna Group – has been undertaken. It involved 25,000 teens from 26 countries, including 1,000 in the UK, across the religious divide.
Just 13% said they believe Jesus is still active in the world today. However, the research revealed that a third of teen Brits believe He offers hope to people and cares for them, while even more (37%) feel motivated to learn more about the Bible.
Though 52% of UK teens believed Jesus advocated for justice – they were unconvinced about the role of the church and its leadership in justice.
David Kinnaman, CEO of Barna Group said the data reveals UK teens ‘are in a formative and precarious season of life’, adding: ‘It is encouraging to see they are open to Jesus, show interest in learning more about the Bible, and are motivated toward addressing injustice in the world. But we also noticed challenges, including British teens’ lack of confidence in their ability to make an impact, and their uncertainty about Christian church’s role in addressing injustice.’
Civil servants
Meanwhile, a first-of-its-kind review carried out by Colin Bloom, an Independent Faith Engagement Adviser, has revealed a ‘woefully inadequate’ level of religious literacy among civil servants.
In his report, Does Government ‘Do God’? Bloom said: ‘The review is much needed, and its timing … could not be better. This is the first time that faith has been reviewed in this way, and the first time in living memory that an administration has bravely asked: “Are we properly engaging with people of faith?”.’
The report revealed 68% of Christians who responded believed freedom of religion or belief is under threat. Bloom revealed: ‘Many Christian respondents said they no longer feel able to be who they are in public or at work, after experiencing the dismissal of traditional religious beliefs and practices.’
He made 22 recommendations to help address challenges within faith communities. ‘Sadly,’ he said, ‘these challenges are too often overlooked, ignored or put in… the “too difficult box”.’
