The Fading Church and the New Generation

"Spiritual not Religious" confounds me (I had written about it earlier here), and now there's a survey of 18- to 29-year-olds, known as "Millennials".

The survey was done by LifeWay Christian Resources, and found that in this age group, 72% say they're 'spiritual, not religious'. Of the 65% of this survey group (1200 people) that identified themselves as Christian, they don't pray much or attend services on a regular basis.

The thing about rejecting centuries of doctrine, creed and religious wisdom, is that one makes up one's own beliefs. Perfect for our egocentric, narcissistic culture. This endangers the Church. Dorothy Sayers published a book, "Creed or Chaos" 'Why Christians Must Choose Either Dogma or Disaster', contending that doctrine is vital to Faith. John 4:22- "You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvations is of the Jews." I'm saddened by how many Christians really don't know what they believe. What the Christian Creeds do is provide a point of reference, point out important points of Christian doctrine.

Now we have a whole generation not aware of doctrine, dogma, creed, or the commonalities of the Faith. Part of the rejection of church and dogma, is a misunderstanding of dogma. It's now viewed as something rigid and inflexible. Originally dogma, from the Greek root, meant something that was fitting and good. Christian Faith is fitting and good.

Something fitting and good, maybe something you haven't read in awhile, The Nicene Creed:

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father [and the Son].
With the Father and the Son
he is worshipped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. AMEN.

Rick Warren from "Purpose Driven Life", I like this too: "As believers we share one Lord, one body, one purpose, one Father, one Spirit, one hope, one faith, one baptism and one Love."

Being 'not religious', threatens no only Christianity, but the personal sharing of other's experiences. God means us to be unified, and loving and supporting of each other. The church, the religious experience, brings that and much, much more.