A survey of young adults in the US has revealed that nearly half feel put off from going to church, due to perceived association with Donald Trump.
The survey, conducted by the Wheaton College Billy Graham Center Research Institute, found that 48% of Gen Z adults ages 18 to 28 agreed to some degree with the statement: “Christians’ support of Trump has made me less likely to go to church.” Roughly one in five respondents strongly agreed with that view.
By contrast, around 21% strongly disagreed that support for Trump among Christians had any impact on their willingness to attend church.
The research was based on responses from 2,365 Gen Z adults surveyed through NORC’s AmeriSpeak panel between Aug. 9 and Sept. 26, 2024. The project was led by Rick Richardson of Wheaton College and supported by the Lilly Endowment.
Political affiliation emerged as one of the strongest predictors of attitudes toward church attendance and Trump’s relationship with Christianity.
Amongst Gen Z respondents who identified as Democrats, two-thirds said Christian support for Trump made them less likely to attend church. The figure rose even higher among "strong" Democrats, 76% of whom agreed with the statement.
Republicans viewed the issue very differently, with just 25% saying the President had put them off church.
Independents fell between the two groups; 42% said Christians’ support for Trump had made them less inclined to go to church.
The effect was exacerbated among young people who do not identify with the Christian faith. Among atheist participants, nearly three-quarters (72%) said Christian support for Trump had made them less likely to attend church.
This figure was 65% among agnostics. A slim majority of respondents who described themselves as having “no religion in particular” also agreed that the relationship between Trump and Christianity reduced their likelihood of attending church.
Researchers emphasised that Trump cannot be solely to blame for much of Gen Z's disengagement with organised faith; the question about Trump was one of many put to young people. However, they suggested it is part of an of blurred lines between faith and politics across the States.