Beyond Heaven? Young People and the Afterlife

Abstract

It is widely assumed that, given their age and life stage, teens and emerging adults do not spend much time thinking about their own mortality or the afterlife. However, national surveys of teens in the US, Great Britain, and Canada indicate that approximately half of all teens in these countries believe in life after death. Drawing on both national survey data and qualitative interview material, this article explores patterns and understandings of afterlife belief among Australian teens and emerging adults (13–29-year-olds). The analysis reveals that afterlife belief among Australian youth is idiosyncratic and self-directed, with few looking to an external authority for guidance in formulating belief. This is interpreted as further evidence of the increasingly eclectic approach young people take to spiritual matters.

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