Who are they listening to? An exploration of the influences on the religious faith of young people in the UK

This empirical study used the narrative identity model to facilitate exploration of the influences on the religious faith of young people, with specific interest in the Christian faith. There is minimal research regarding the impact of online influences on religious faith of young people, which is the gap this project sought to contribute to. Empirical data was collected from 155 young people and 120 youth leaders using group interviews and online surveys. They were asked about their perceptions of influence on themselves and the extent to which they influenced one another in relation to beliefs and faith matters. The findings revealed that the young people exhibited minimal sense of agency or control over the influences upon them, and that whilst the influences occur across the hybrid reality of their everyday lives, family and church are deemed by the young people to be the strongest influences on their religious faith formation. However, the youth leaders indicated different perceptions, emphasising the need for enhanced dialogue between youth leaders and young people regarding influences and how the young people can be best supported in this hybrid context.