America’s religious decline continues, and Gen Z women are the ones leading the trend. The Survey Center for American Life noted the decline amongst young women in April, marking a shift in previous generations when men were more likely to leave their faith than women. The Survey Center found, however, that 54 percent of adult Gen Zers who left their faith were women, while 46 percent were men. Feminism, in particular, seems to be behind the increased numbers, with 61 percent of Gen Z women identifying as feminist, a number higher than previous generations. 65 percent of Gen Z women stated they did not believe that churches treat men and women equally. That Catholic church, the Southern Baptist Convention (SBC), and a number of other conservative churches reserve positions such as being a pastor or priest for men, citing 1Timothy 2:12, which states, “But I suffer not a woman to teach, nor to usurp authority over the man, but to be in silence.” Many of those churches do, however, permit women to lead in positions such as children’s director, Sunday School teachers, and in women’s ministries.

More young women identify as politically liberal, with 54 percent believing abortion should be available without any restrictions and nearly 30 percent identifying as something other than straight. Their dissonance with the church cannot be pinned down to a single issue, however. “For most young women who leave it’s not about any one issue. … Rather it was a steady accumulation of negative experiences and dissonant teachings that made it difficult or impossible to stay,” wrote the report. Also, even if a woman is more conservative in her own views, she often has friends that might identify as atheist or LGBTQ+ or some other alternative. Such relationships tend to have an impact on a woman’s own beliefs. Tim Whitaker, of The New Evangelicals, stated that social media has helped with the shift, with young women being able to share their feelings and hear from others. “These platforms have given them a place to express their thoughts and be heard. Seeing other people’s stories, and seeing them make the change, has given them permission to take seriously their own concerns,” he said.

The study also found that 39 percent of Gen Z women were religiously unaffiliated, while 34 percent of Gen Z men were. The increasing numbers of women leaving the church bodes ill for many churches, with women doing many of the volunteer jobs within churches and many children typically adopting the faith of their mothers when in a mixed-faith family. “None of this is good news for America’s places of worship,” concluded the Center. “Many of these young women are gone for good. Studies consistently show that people who leave religion rarely come back, even if they hold on to some of their formative beliefs and practices. The decline in religious participation and membership has provoked a good deal of concern and consternation, but these latest trends represent a four-alarm warning.”