Faith for thought: a content analysis of traditional Christian, SBNR and atheist content creators and their messages to younger generations
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58445/rars.3766Keywords:
Spiritual But Not Religious (SBNR), Christianity, Spiritual identityAbstract
This research paper examines the influence of digital media on the spread of Christian, atheist, and Spiritual But Not Religious (SBNR) ideologies, particularly among younger generations. By using a content analysis methodology, the study analyzed YouTube videos and related online sources, utilizing transcript extraction and thematic analysis tools to identify prevalent terms and ideas. It was initially hypothesized that SBNR content would show noticeable growth and emphasize individualized spiritual discovery over adherence to existing frameworks, as understood from previous textual research. The findings, however, indicated that while Christian and atheist content creators maintained considerable visibility and engagement with their online audiences, SBNR content was markedly underrepresented and presented lower interaction overall. It is exhibited in the findings that SBNR content prioritized discovery of “true” personal identities and inclusivity rather than doctrinal adherence. Such results suggest that although societal trends are more likely to favor personalized spirituality, mainstream digital platforms are yet to fully integrate SBNR perspectives. Further research is recommended to explore a broader selection of digital environments to better examine the nuances of emerging spiritual movements.
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