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Monday, June 02, 2008
Younger Evangelicals Turned Off by the Culture Wars
In this a.m.'s NYTimes appears one of those periodic "trend" articles that can fairly take one's breath away with sweeping generalizations and anecdotal evidence. Fascinating read, but I'm just saying.
If this movement among young believers actually exists, it's marked by some stark differences with their elders:
1. They reject identification with "the religious right" (the goal of the church is not politics, they say)
2. "They are tired of the culture wars"
3. They are focused on service and good works, particularly related to the environment, the poor, immigrant communities, and helping people with H.I.V.
4. Being "evangelical" shouldn't "automatically mean that you are against stem cell research or [will be] voting for McCain"
5. They believe in taking the light of Christ into the world, not retreating from it into "holy huddles" of like-minded people who never challenge the status quo
If this movement among young believers actually exists, it's marked by some stark differences with their elders:
1. They reject identification with "the religious right" (the goal of the church is not politics, they say)
2. "They are tired of the culture wars"
3. They are focused on service and good works, particularly related to the environment, the poor, immigrant communities, and helping people with H.I.V.
4. Being "evangelical" shouldn't "automatically mean that you are against stem cell research or [will be] voting for McCain"
5. They believe in taking the light of Christ into the world, not retreating from it into "holy huddles" of like-minded people who never challenge the status quo
Labels: new evangelicals, religion and politics
