Father Patrick Flanagan told Newsmax on Wednesday that younger Americans are increasingly turning to faith as they grow disillusioned with modern institutions they view as politicized, performative, and disconnected from real-world outcomes, offering a cultural explanation for the rising interest in religion and the recent uptick in Bible sales.

Flanagan, the chair of theology and religious studies at St. John's University, said younger people are gravitating toward faith as they lose confidence in social and political institutions that he said promise much but deliver little.

On "Greg Kelly Reports," Flanagan responded to a question about why younger Americans appear more open to religion than recent generations.

"I think they're walking away from institutions. I really believe that," he said, looking toward faith.

"So you think about these institutions that we have in our society.

"There are a lot of politics without impact. A lot of identity wars with regard to gender and also with regard to race.

"And they just do not believe in these institutions that promise many things but do not deliver. And it becomes very problematic for them.

"They find these institutions very performative. So when it comes to Bible sales, I think they're looking for some truth."

Flanagan framed the trend as part of a broader generational shift away from ideological conflict and symbolic activism, arguing that younger people are seeking stability, meaning, and authenticity beyond traditional power structures.

The conversation also touched on President Donald Trump's public emphasis on faith and religious liberty, particularly his focus on protecting Christian and Jewish communities in the U.S. and abroad.

Asked what it means to have a president who places religious liberty at the center of constitutional governance, Flanagan said Trump's approach reflects long-standing personal priorities rather than political calculation.

"This is not atypical of President Trump. You recognize this.

"This is something he cares for, our troops, he cares for their children, and he cares for them in a way that is really, really beautiful. So he tries to encourage them to have the wonder and awe that we had as children."

Flanagan connected that outlook to broader themes of gratitude and national service, describing what he said was the president's effort to acknowledge military families during the holiday season.

"With the arrival of Santa Claus this evening, it's a very exciting time for them," he said.

"At the same time, he's [Trump is] reaching out to them because he knows that their families are probably missing them a great deal, and because their absence and yet at the same time, want to instill in them a sense of gratitude on the part of our nation for the service that these women and men give us as people who live in a freedom that many, many people in the world do not know."

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