To say that the new generation of American adults is not religious would be inaccurate. To call their spirituality far less exclusive than their forebears, now that's more like it. To describe in a word the direction adults 18 to 23 are taking man's spiritual life: Interfaith.

Pew research annually asks Americans about religious affiliations, views, and beliefs. Fifty years ago, only 1 in 10 marriages included two faiths, and "intermarrying" did not necessarily mean crossing prophetic boundaries; it also included a Catholic marrying a Protestant. In a 2008 survey, Pew found that spouses in 27 percent of 35,000 married couples of any age were of two different religions; if including different denominations of Christianity, the number of mixed marriages jumps to 37 percent. Today, 80 percent of young adults polled say they approve of interfaith marriage.

So serious are younger generations about embracing interfaith families, there is a new term for such a family's religious affiliation: "Both" - as in the family adheres to both religions, observes both sets of holidays and rites, and raises the children with both. The message? Focus on the vast landscapes of religions' common ground, rather than differences. At the same time, respect another's right to observe and believe those differences.

While the trend and acceptance are increasing, the idea of interfaith worship is not new. For example, Unitarian Universalists embrace this idea, and local churches such as Unity in Coeur d'Alene make a practice of embracing multiple faiths. What's picking up pace is organized support of interfaith families.

In Chicago, there is the Jewish-Catholic Dialogue Group, which helps couples from those two faiths marry, educate their children in a dual-faith school, and adhere to their own faiths while respecting their partner's. In Washington, D.C., there is the Interfaith Families Project, where two-religion families may attend a group worship service, then splinter off into rooms and services more tailored to their specific religious beliefs. There are similar interfaith group services in California. The trend is spreading across the country.

This belies a hopeful openness to others' perspectives, which bodes well for decreasing humanity's problems in areas beyond religion, such as racial and ethnic prejudices, civil rights, and cultural stereotypes. If young generations can lead society to see first our similarities before noticing our differences - let alone judging them as inferior - peace may become less an illusory dream and more an achievable reality.

Sholeh Patrick, J.D. is a columnist for the Hagadone News Network. Contact her at Sholeh@cdapress.com.