Dijital Kültürün Dini Kimlik İnşasına Etkisi: Kuşak Teorisi Perspektifinden Sistematik Bir Derleme
The Impact of Digital Culture on Religious Identity Construction: A Systematic Review from the Perspective of Generational Theory

Summary/Abstract: The purpose of this systematic review is to examine how digitalization and the new media ecosystem transform individuals’ religious beliefs, practices, and sense of belonging within the context of "Generation Theory." The research was designed based on the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Empirical findings, qualitative studies, and theoretical approaches from various national and international databases were systematically scanned and analyzed using thematic synthesis. The literature reviewed demonstrates that the boundaries of traditional and hierarchical religious institutions are being replaced in the modern era by a flexible and decentralized "networked religion" model offered by online platforms. Particularly, new generations, shaped by the digital culture into which they were born, construct their religious identities not in physical places of worship, but through a selective approach via global digital communities and narrated online profiles. In this process, statistical data from Turkey and on a global scale (KONDA Research, 2024; Nişancı, 2023; Pew Research Center, 2025), along with the mechanism of generational replacement, confirm a decline in institutional religiosity and a rise in forms of belief characterized by a lack of traditional belonging in individual spirituality. Consequently, this study reveals that religion has not disappeared in modern society; rather, it continues to exist by taking on new forms—mediated through digital networks— that are fluid, personalized, and adapted to the reality of multi-space environments.

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