Generational Struggles

Being a minister working with a church I have the distinct honor of being able to talk about faith with many people from generations. I'm always blessed by the wisdom of the older generations and the enthusiasm of the younger. In many ways I think the way we talk about the different generations' differences is overblown and distracts from the fact that we are all simply human working our way through life with God's help.

However, this doesn't mean that the differences are non-existent. One big difference I've seen recently talking to different people is how each generation seems to have a different struggle with the faith. Now I am by no means saying that everyone in a particular generation struggles with these same things. Obviously we are all unique individuals with our own questions and doubts. Still, I do some common trends. These are all, of course, anecdotal and only based on what I see and the conversations I've had with people.

Let's start with the Baby Boomers, those born roughly between the end of WW2 and 1964. Legalism is the great struggle that I see here. One of the small group Bible studies I lead consists primarily of people in this age range. In fact I'm the only person in it that isn't of this generation. One of the things that we talk about the most is people's legalistic upbringing and how it has affected the way they see scripture and God.

This legalism is generally boiled down to making hard and fast rules out of things that aren't (no dancing, no drinking, no rock n roll) and focusing way too much on a particular tradition's distinctives (acapella music, full immersion baptism, no women speakers, etc.,) to the exclusion of all else. It was strict and at times hard to live under. This generation has largely broken from this mold (yay!) but it still haunts them and they see it as a prime reason why people leave the faith. 

While legalism is certainly an issue, it isn't the primary issue for the other generations. Gen X, or those born between 1965 - 1980, have a different struggle that I see. Their struggle is that of community. The struggle is to find a place to belong that cares. I've talked to quite a few people in this generation and community almost always seems to be pretty high up on the list of priorities for a church. Sometimes I'd say it's almost unhealthy.

The church is a community. This is true and something I emphasize regularly. However, it is a community centered on the worship, teaching, and life of Jesus Christ. My Gen X brothers and sisters are often so longing for that community that they are content to set aside the worship and other things just to have a place to belong. Church becomes nothing more than a glorified country club.

Next we have everyone's favorite punching bag, the Millennials born between 1981 - 1996. I belong to this group and can speak a bit more confidently here. If there is one big struggle for my generation it is the relationship between faith and science. Due to the things like the internet, this generation is in many ways fare more scientifically knowledgeable than those that came before. This makes the "conflict" between science and faith often proclaimed by Christians and scientists alike difficult.

Many of the older Christians I know are content to just ignore science. This doesn't work for millennials. What happens is that science is pitted against faith in some sort of holy war and all are asked to pick a side. Many millennials pick science in that dilemma even though it isn't real. Science and faith are not in conflict. However, the rhetoric that surrounds both sides often makes it seem so.

The final generation is Gen Z, or those born between 1997 - 2012. They are just now coming of age and setting out on their own. As a youth minister I see the main issue here all the time. It is an issue of identity. They want to know who they are, why they're here, and where they belong. They want purpose and self-knowing. 

It is with Gen Z that the questions of gender identity, racial identity, and national identity have reached their fever pitch. They want to know who they are. They want to be good people, true to themselves and their group. Older Christians, even many Millennials, don't understand this longing to find themselves the way Gen Z longs for it. It is an important question that I believe firmly Jesus can answer better than anything or anyone else.

Now obviously these struggles are in many ways common to all generations. Every generation struggles with identity. Every generation wrestles with science and community. Every generation deals with its own forms of legalism. The point here is to help one another see that in general each generation focuses more heavily on one of these issues than the others. It matters more to them and is a bigger struggle than it may be for others.

The struggle you may have may not be the struggle your kids have. I think we tend to project our biggest issues onto others, especially when those around us in our generation have the same basic struggle. I see this a lot. Boomers are often so worried about legalism and making sure it's clear that we are saved by grace and not works that they don't see that to Millennials this is largely a non-issue. They've heard it all their lives and are really struggling with evolutionary biology and how that relates to Genesis.

Gen X is so consumed with the desire for community that they don't always get Gen Z's desire for more introspection and self-discovery. Overall it can lead to the older generations thinking the younger generations are on the wrong path and need to be rescued and the younger generations thinking that the older generations don't care about them and feeling like they can't express their doubts and questions. 

I pray that all of us can be patient and listen to one another. We should all realize that our struggles are not all the same, but they do all matter. Each generation has a lot to learn from the others. I encourage you to have good talks with people outside of your age group in your church. Learn from them, no matter their age.