The disaffection of youth with institutional church in both Australia and the U.K. has been well documented. A number of writers in the field point to a remarkable level of spirituality amongst youth. This paper examines the conflicts apparent between young people and church as a means of expression of their spirituality. Some research findings in Australian High Schools are presented. A research survey was designed to determine the level of recognition among senior students of the types of experiences to which some might give a religious interpretation. The level of experiential spirituality among the groups was remarkably high while church allegiance remained low. Some comparisons between youth culture in Australia and the U.K. are made by reference to reports published in each country.

The research project came about at the suggestion of Nick Shepherd and was intended to source articles from IASYM members from around the world to outline the issues surrounding youth spirituality today. The articles generated by this collaboration included two each from Australia, the United States and the United Kingdom and a very valuable contribution from an African perspective.

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