If your classroom feels more spiritually diverse than ever, you’re not imagining it. In the Australian Community Survey (ACS) we asked thousands of Australians (aged 18+) how they see themselves on two different-yet overlapping-fronts: religion and spirituality.
The results paint a nuanced picture, especially for Gen Z (those aged roughly under 30 years). Understanding these patterns can help educators create learning spaces that are both respectful and relevant.
Spiritual and religious: Four clusters of Australians
The analysis by NCLS researchers found that responses from Australians grouped them into four broad identity clusters:
- Practising Religious and Spiritual: People who say they are both religious and spiritual and who regularly practise their faith.
- Moderately Religious and Spiritual: Those who still claim a religious and spiritual identity but do not regularly engage in faith practices.
- Spiritual but Not Religious (SBNR): Individuals who embrace spirituality while stepping away from formal religion.
- Neither Religious nor Spiritual: Respondents who connect with neither sphere.
How Gen Z stands out
How Gen Z compares to all Australians
- Smaller “practising” core. Only one in five Gen Z Australians fall into the category of those who regularly practise their faith (21% vs 27% national).
- Identity rather than practice. One‑third of Gen Z place themselves in the “non‑practising” camp—comfortable with religious labels yet not as engaged in regular faith practices.
- A small SBNR group. The smallest grouping are those who are ‘spiritual but not religious’. Gen Z are slightly more likely than the broader population to identify as SBNR (15% vs 12%).
- Fewer “Neithers.” Contrary to the stereotype of a uniformly secular cohort, a small proportion of Gen Z (32%) reject both religion and spirituality than Australians overall.
Why this matters for educators
- Integrate lived experience. When teaching about religion, ethics or civic life, draw on contemporary statistics like these to show students where they sit in the national mosaic.
- Acknowledge nuance. Students may happily claim a faith label even if they are not regularly practising. Create space for that complexity in discussions. The quiet student may be devout; the vocal one may be SBNR. Invite stories rather than label behaviour.
- Balance representation. Include material on both organised religion and broader “meaning‑making” practices (mindfulness, nature connection, secular rituals).
Ideas for the classroom
- Quick Poll: Ask students to anonymously place themselves in one of the four clusters and graph the results. Compare class data with the national stats above.
- Dialogue: Arrange space for conversations where students describe what “spiritual” or “religious” means for them (or why neither term fits).
- Capstone Projects: Invite research into how different identity clusters approach big questions—purpose, morality, sustainability—and have students propose inclusive school initiatives.
Gen Z’s relationship with faith and meaning is complex, hybrid and anything but homogenous. By tuning in to the four‑cluster landscape revealed in the ACS, educators can foster classrooms where every student’s inner world is recognised, fueling not only academic growth but whole‑person flourishing.
