One quarter of all Christian adults identify themselves as charismatic or Pentecostal, according to a recent Barna Group poll, but several generational differences exist.
The study found that younger Christians are more likely to believe the gifts of the Spirit exist but are less likely to practice them. For instance, 43 percent of Christians under age 45 said they believe tongues are “valid and active today,” compared with 37 percent of older adults, yet less than 9 percent have ever spoken in tongues.
Christians under age 26 also take a more symbolic view of the Holy Spirit. Some 68 percent said the third person of the Trinity is just “a symbol of God’s power or presence but is not a living entity,” compared with 55 percent to 59 percent of all other age groups.
