I just finished reading David Kinnaman’s Unchristian: What a new generation really thinks about Christianity. It’s an insightful window into the perceptions of the Mosiac and Buster generations, both those in and outside the church, on Christianity, Christians, morality, and behavioral norms. The data is drawn from extensive surveys conducted by the Barna Group, and the analysis is laced with pertinent stories and narrative.
While I found myself a little prideful that we Presbyterians aren’t subject to a lot of the perceptual problems that our more evangelical brethren are tagged with, the book nonetheless has some things to say to us as we try to reach these generations.
I’m wondering if anyone else has read the book and what you took away from it.
About John Ragsdale
It was completely unsurprising. Women, queers, immigrants, non-Americans, poor folks, … have known this all along. We could have saved a lot of time if we didn’t wait for two straight white dudes to write a book first.
I also found it unsurprising, and also found myself thinking “hmm, this isn’t my experience in mainline churches.” But ultimately, my reaction as a member of the group they were writing about was something like “who are these guys, and why are they talking about me like they’ve never met a 20-something?”
I’ve read most of the books about “them” (aka “us”/”me”)–the missing generation/mosaics/busters/whatever. All but one made me feel like that–like the authors were so overgeneralizing and wrote from what felt like the “outside.” The one that I found both good and useful was Carol Howard Merritt’s Tribal Church.
I read the book and found the research and data very accurate and compelling. However, the perspective and the conclusions and especially the recommendations of the authors i found not only off base but dramatically misleading. Their recommendations seem to be to become more conservative, more dogmatic and more traditional. The data could just as easily lead to a conclusion that the church needs to become more open, more inclusive, less dogmatic and more accepting of others and loving of all people. The authors radically reject these options due to their own biases and historical Christian doctrine. Good data – Wrong conclusions.
I wish the original posters included their name and brief bios.
Teri,
I had a similar reaction as well. Too bad to hear folks talk about us rather than with us… especially when that is one of the main problems!
What else would you expect a generation to think who have been raised on 24/7 nihilism and hedonism unprecedented in modern times? And you think the Church should change to please them? Methinks you have forgotten the role of the Church– to be the standard for society, not the other way around. The fact that Presbyterians aren’t subject to “perceptual problems” with this bunch might actually be a cause for concern, and explain why your pews are empty. Presbyterians are the “cool mom and dad” who want to be “friends”, raising the next generation of dysfunctionals; while evangelicals are the parents who piss their kids off when they can’t have their way because they’re actually doing their job as parents.