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The Conversation
The Conversation
Ryan Burge, Professor of Practice, Danforth Center on Religion and Politics, Washington University in St. Louis

Social scientists have long found women tend to be more religious than men – but Gen Z may show a shift

Students leave after attending a Catholic Mass at Benedictine College on Dec. 3, 2023, in Atchison, Kan. AP Photo/Charlie Riedel

For decades, one of the most consistent findings in religion research has been that women tend to be more religious than men. This holds true across dozens of countries and on nearly every measure of religiosity, from how often someone prays to how important faith is in their lives.

Social scientists have struggled to pinpoint a universal cause for this pattern. Theories run the gamut – from the claim that it has something to do with women being more risk averse to the argument that religion offers women support for social responsibilities around birth, death and raising children.

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