This is an excerpt from A Conspiracy of Love: Following Jesus in a Postmodern World / Second Edition.
© 2024 Kurt Struckmeyer

 

In the developed countries of the Global North, worldviews are changing more rapidly than any time in history. Since 1945, each succeeding generation has exhibited a progression toward postmodernity. In this connotation, a generation is not defined as sets of grandparents, parents, or children, but rather a “cultural generation”—a cohort of people born during the same era and shaped by the same events during their formative years. Of particular importance is what is happening in society and the world as they come of age at about eighteen. Sociologists point out that each generational cohort exhibits a “peer personality” which derives from a common age group, common beliefs and behavior, and perceived membership in a common generation. Each cultural generation generally falls into a time span of about thirteen to fifteen years long.

Sociologist Wade Clark Roof (1940–2019) wrote:

More than just an aggregate of individuals of a similar age, a generation tends to have common, unifying social experiences and to develop a collective sense of identity. Members of one age group define themselves in relation to other cohorts by rejecting or reaffirming one or another set of cultural values, beliefs, and symbols; in this way a generation comes to have its own distinctive “historical-social” consciousness. This is likely to occur in late adolescence and early adulthood—the formative years for the shaping of a distinct outlook.

What You Are Is Where You Were When

In the 1970s and 1980s, sociologist Morris Massey (b. 1939) produced a series of video presentations that helped corporate managers understand the value differences of various generations in the American workplace. The series began with a video called What You Are Is Where You Were When. The premise is that we are all shaped by societal experiences and messages during young adulthood. In his work, Massey described three major periods or stages of personality development during which lifelong values are shaped.

According to Massey, up to the age of seven, children are like sponges, absorbing everything around them and accepting much of it as true, especially when it comes from their parents. This is the “imprint period” when children learn a sense of right and wrong and determine good from bad.

Then says Massey, between the ages of eight and thirteen, older children begin to copy their parents and other significant adults in their lives. During this “modeling period,” they begin trying on behaviors, beliefs, and attitudes like suits of clothes, to see how they feel. They may be very impressed with teachers, religious leaders, or other adult influences. This is significant, because around the age of ten or twelve, a child’s values begin to lock in.

Between 13 and 21, young adults are more influenced by their peers than by their elders. As they develop as individuals, teens naturally turn to people who seem to share their basic values for affirmation, confirmation, and reinforcement. During this “socialization period,” media also becomes increasingly important, especially as it resonates with the values of a peer group. By about age eighteen or twenty, a person’s values are finally locked in for life.

Given this process of value development, Massey believes it is important to understand the historical contexts in which each American generation developed—the significant events that have contributed to the shaping of their values—in order to create an understanding of not only how we are different from one another, but more importantly why we are different. An increased understanding of our cultural differences may give us greater insight into the societal changes we face in our homes, schools, workplaces, and churches.

As the world has changed, each generation’s values have been shaped by the unique events they have experienced in their youth—the Great Depression, World War II, the Cold War, the civil rights struggle, the war in Vietnam, the Watergate scandal, the September 11 attacks, the 2008 global financial crisis, the Covid pandemic, et cetera. What is going on in the world around us as we mature has an enormous impact on the formation of our values. Massey refers to these influences as “significant emotional events.” They can have a profound influence on our view of the world and our reaction to it, making any one generation uniquely different from its predecessor and its successor. According to Massey, what we are now was shaped by where we were then, both historically and geographically.

The Baby Boom Generation (1946–1964)

The 78 million Baby Boom Generation was born between 1946 and 1964, an eighteen-year time span that was marked by a significant increase in birth rates. Until the arrival of the Millennial generation, Boomers had the largest population of any generation in history. By the sheer force of their numbers, the boomers were a demographic bulge which remodeled society as they passed through it. In their teenage and college years they shaped the counterculture of the 1960s and 1970s.

They came of age between 1964 and 1982. In their youth they were open-minded and rebellious, but many became more conservative in their 30s and 40s. One sociologist observed that during their childhood and rising adulthood they metamorphosed from Beaver Cleaver to hippie to yuppie. Job status and social standing were very important to this generation who created the concepts of “workaholic” and “superwoman.” They are sometimes divided into two cohorts because life experiences were very different in the mid-60s compared to the mid-70s.

The Boomer-1 cohort was born from 1946 to 1954 and came of age between 1964 and 1972. Their memorable events were the Cuban missile crisis, the Vietnam War, anti-war protests, social experimentation, recreational drug use, sexual freedom, the civil rights movement, the women’s movement, Woodstock, and astronauts walking on the moon. They tend to be free spirited, optimistic, ambitious, experimental, and social-cause oriented.

The Boomer-2 cohort, sometimes called Generation Jones, was born between 1955 and 1964 and came of age from 1973 to 1982. Memorable events included the Cold War, Watergate, Nixon’s resignation, the oil embargo, gasoline shortages, and raging inflation. Jobs were increasingly hard to find as the oil shock and economic slump of the 1970s coincided with their arrival in the work force. These Boomers are less optimistic, more pragmatic, and are characterized by a general cynicism. The name “Generation Jones” has several connotations, including a large anonymous generation, and a “keeping up with the Joneses” competitiveness.

In the 1960s, the older Baby Boomers observed the unmasking of the entrenched racism, sexism, and militarism that pervaded American culture behind the facade of what some conservative commentators see as an ideal time in American life and culture. And some of the Boomers reacted to the status quo with protests and social action. The only authority figures that they truly trusted were assassinated—first John Kennedy in 1963, and then Martin Luther King Jr and Bobby Kennedy in 1968.

As the nation confronted all of these agonizing social issues, some Boomers saw the mainline and evangelical churches as tacit supporters of the prevailing popular culture. In 1960, over half of Americans were members of mainline Protestant churches, whose leaders were undeniably white and male and decidedly anti-Catholic and anti-Jewish. These churches reflected the American Establishment, socially, culturally, and politically. Although a small number of religious activists worked tirelessly for civil rights and against the lengthy war in Vietnam, they never represented the mainstream reality in local congregations—which is where many Baby Boomers developed their impressions of the church.

Some in the Baby Boom generation began a search for a more authentic faith, away from established religion and toward experiential spirituality. They began dropping out of church. In the 1960s and 1970s, perhaps as many as 75 percent of these young people left their home churches in their early twenties. Some in the first cohort experimented with meditation, eastern religions, and charismatic Christianity, while some in the second cohort became born-again evangelicals. Most, however, began to pick and choose less-exotic ideas, beliefs, and practices to form unique personal expressions of their faith.

The older Baby Boomers were divided down the middle by the war in Vietnam, some supporting it, some opposing it. Over time, this division blossomed into what has become known as the “culture wars” between liberal and conservative Americans. As a whole, the Baby Boom Generation has remained widely committed to values such as gender equality, racial equality, and environmental stewardship. But the protests against the war in Viet Nam and the movements for equal justice for women and minorities left other Boomers with a more conservative stance.

One of the key factors dividing the Baby Boom generation in the 1960s was education. Sociologist Robert Wuthnow says that “virtually every study showed that the growing liberalization of American culture in these years was closely related to the rising influence of higher education.”164 The better-educated Boomers tended to be more liberal on a wide variety of issues; the less-educated tended to be more conservative. The impact on the church was that the more liberal Baby Boomers became less involved with institutional religion, while the more conservative maintained their commitment.

Generation X (1965–1980)

The 51 million members of Generation X, born in the fifteen years from 1965 to 1980, arrived after the baby boom ended. They came of age between 1983 and 1998 and grew up in a very different world than previous generations. Divorce, single-parent families, working moms, and daycare created “latchkey” kids out of many in this generation. They were the first generation with widespread access to television during their early formative years. As they came of age, they witnessed the appearance of most of today’s digital technology—PCs and Macs in the early 1980s, digital cell phones in 1988, the rollout of the World Wide Web in 1990, and the introduction of the DVD in 1995. This is the first generation where more women than men obtained college educations. They also delayed marriage and parenthood more than any other generation preceding them.

Their memorable events were the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion, the Iran-Contra affair, the trickle-down theory of Reaganomics, the Solidarity movement in Poland, the end of the Cold War, the fall of the Berlin Wall, the Desert Storm war, AIDS, and safe sex. They were influenced by George Lucas’ Star Wars and MTV.

Gen Xers are post-partisans. They dislike the battles between liberals and conservatives. Forty percent call themselves independents, the highest percentage of any generation. They are skeptical of authority, mistrust institutions, and reject rules. Generation Xers are deeply suspicious of grand claims. They see life as complex, and they distrust simple solutions. Churches that claim they have the last and final word on everything will find it very hard to attract this generation who cannot believe that there is just “one true way for all.” They often look at Christianity as one of the many options that can be considered in a world in which they see each person as finding his or her own truth and meaning. Only 30 percent of this generation belongs to a church. They tend to exhibit the same characteristics as the Baby Boomers—independent thought and suspicion of authority—but to an even greater degree. They distrust institutions and believe that denominations are no longer of much importance.

The Millennial Generation (1981–1996)

The 83 million members of the Millennial Generation were born between 1981 and 1996, a fifteen-year time span. Originally known as Generation Y, Millennials began to come of age starting in 1999 and continued until about 2014. They may be the first truly postmodern generation. They are the most diverse American generation ever, with nearly 40 percent from minority groups. They celebrate diversity, are highly tolerant and open toward sexual orientation, and are deeply committed to environmental issues. One-third of the Millennial generation are tattooed, and many are pierced in places other than their earlobes.

This generation was raised in the most child-centric time in our history. They are more technically literate than any other generation preceding them and are entering adulthood immersed in digital technology, including mobile phones, GPS systems, laptop computers, iPods, iPhones, iPads, Google, YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter or X. Memorable events so far include the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, Hurricane Katrina in 2005, dual wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, global warming and environmental degradation, economic globalization and the exportation of manufacturing jobs, the global financial crisis of 2008, and the first black president.

This generation grew up at a time when there was a need to pull together as a nation. They volunteer at the highest level recorded for youth in forty years. Nearly nine in ten Millennials say it’s up to their generation to clean up the environment, reversing the great harm to the planet’s future created by previous generations. Sixty-three percent think the government should do more to solve the nation’s problems. In their political outlook, they are the most tolerant and progressive of any preceding generation on social issues such as immigration, race, and homosexuality.

Recent surveys show that the more progressive people are in their social and political views, the less likely they are to attend church. This is certainly true for the Millennials. The Pew Forum reported in 2012 that 30 percent of Millennials in the United States said they have no religious affiliation or are atheist or agnostic, a vast increase over the 20 percent of Generation X and the 15 percent of the Baby Boomers. Nearly one in five Millennials say they were raised in a religious tradition—attending church and Sunday School—but now have disassociated themselves. Only a small percentage of the Millennial generation in the United States is actively religious. Of these, 15 percent are Roman Catholic, 10 percent are Baptist, and 10 percent are non-denominational Christian. After that, the connection of Millennials to mainline or evangelical churches drops off to small single digits.

Generation Z (1997–2010)

This brings us to the first generation born in the twenty-first century: Gen Z. These young people were born between 1997 and 2010, a period of just 13 years. They will come of age between 2015 and 2028. They are mainly the offspring of Generation X, born into smaller families with older mothers. The oldest will be 27 in 2024. They are growing up with remote controls and cell phones in their hands. Their values are being shaped by the isolation of the Covid pandemic, the presidencies of Donald Trump, the climate crisis, rampant gun violence, and active shooter drills in their schools. Sexual fluidity has become a norm. About 20 percent of Gen Z identify as LGBTQ+.

Around 70 percent watch Netflix weekly to stream movies and TV shows, and YouTube daily to watch music videos. Only 10 percent get their entertainment and information from television. They favor TikTok and Snapchat for social media.

Generation Z teenagers and young adults are more concerned than older generations with academic performance and job prospects. The Economist has described Generation Z as a more educated, well-behaved, stressed, and depressed generation in comparison to previous generations. Disruption to routines, education, recreation, an increase in stress and anxiety caused by the Covid pandemic, is leaving many young people feeling afraid, angry, and concerned for their future. Anxiety over climate change has compounded the problem.

It is likely that many—if not most—people of this generation will have little experience with the church. They are witnessing its demise. It is too early to predict their religious attributes but based on the trends we have observed in previous generations, they are even less likely to believe in God, identify with a denomination, or have attended worship services. More than one-third of Generation Z (34 percent) are religiously unaffiliated, a larger proportion than among Millennials (31 percent) and Generation X (26 percent). When combined with those who are atheist or agnostic (17 percent), Gen Z is the first generation where the majority of people are not religious or have a religious background.

Generation Alpha (2011–2024)

Not much has been written yet about the next generation to arrive, Generation Alpha, the oldest of whom will turn thirteen-years-old in 2024. They were born between 2011 and 2024, a span of 13 years, and will come of age between 2029 and 2042. Then starting in 2025, the next cohort to come along will be Generation Beta. What will these newest generations experience before they reach adulthood? What significant emotional events will shape their lives? What will be their relationship, if any, to the church?

Living in an Era That Is Over

Generational changes and shifting worldviews are confronting Christianity worldwide. In the postmodern Global North—especially in Western Europe and North America—the institutional church is not faring well. In the pre-modern Global South—predominantly in Africa, Asia, and South America—Christianity is on the rise. What worries me is whether the church can only flourish in a pre-modern culture where people are poorly educated and traditional values are rooted in patriarchy, homophobia, and the supernatural. In America, some conservative evangelicals and most fundamentalists have seemingly staked their futures on that assumption and are inculcating their children in these values. Yet time is not on their side.

A 2013 study focused on theological stances revealed that 28 percent of adult Americans were theological conservatives, while just 19 percent were progressives. Another 38 percent were moderates and 15 percent were nonreligious. But religious liberals and the nonreligious held many similar views on social and economic matters.

It is often assumed that, in the American religious landscape, theological conservatives anchor one end of the spectrum and theological progressives the other. However, due to the growth of nonreligious Americans who tend to be liberal on both social and economic issues, the opposite end of the spectrum from religious conservatives (28 percent) is now anchored by a combination of religious progressives and nonreligious Americans (34 percent).

Younger generations are accelerating this dynamic, leaving religious conservatives increasingly behind with each generation. Through this major generational shift, the religious and political landscape of American life will be radically transformed.

Historical epochs are not neatly separated. They are not lined up end to end. It is possible to continue to live in an era that is essentially over. While one era prevails, its successor is already forming, and its predecessor continues to exert influence for a very long time. These three worldviews—pre-modern, modern, and postmodern—co-exist side-by-side today in all parts of American culture. But it is particularly apparent in our churches. Some Christians accept what they are told by religious authorities. Others question traditional church teachings and use reason as a guide. Still others reject institutional religion altogether and trust only their own spiritual experiences. But regardless of generation, culture, or attitude, we all are moving together toward a postmodern world and the movement is rapidly accelerating.

 

 

JOURNEY