Why They Show Up: Young People, Religion, & Org Involvement

Join this Lunch and Learn with Springtide Research Institute to hear our latest findings exploring young people’s experiences and perspectives on organizational involvement within religious spaces. Amid outsized attention to why young people leave religious institutions, Springtide has identified a number of reasons why young people show up and actively participate in these spaces. Dr. Angela Patterson, Head of Content, will share data and key takeaways from Springtide’s 2025 mixed methods, nationally representative study on young people, religion, and organizational involvement, funded in part by Lilly Endowment Inc. A panel of Springtide Research Advisors will then respond to the findings, bringing their own expertise as well as encounters with youth and young adults across a variety of faith-based settings. Panelists include Dr. Melinda Denton, professor of sociology at the University of Texas at San Antonio and co-investigator on the National Study of Youth and Religion, Dr. Rucha Kaur, Managing Director of Education and Community Development at Sikh Coalition, and Rev. Kenji Kuramitsu, Associate Dean for Community Life at Rockefeller Chapel, University of Chicago. Springtide Research Institute engages the power of social science to learn from and about young people ages 13 to 25. As a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization, we deliver accessible research on the perspectives and experiences of the newest generations. Our empirical data amplify the voices of young people, inform those who know and serve them, and lead the way in showing what’s next. Learn more about Springtide's research and resources at springtideresearch.org.