After the baby boomers...the next generation & religion

After the baby boomers : how twenty- and thirty-somethings are shaping the future of American religion by Robert Wuthnow of Princeton University (2007)

             Members of one generation differ from preceding generations because their social environments and experiences are different. After the Baby Boomers  offers us a tantalizing look at the future  of American religion for decades to come.  Younger adults of today differ from the baby boomers, and are not well-understood as a cohort, according to Wuthnow (Princeton), who writes from his analysis of "several dozen national surveys" conducted over the past 35 years.
      Wuthnow identifies seven key trends in the "life worlds" of contemporary young adults, which have defining impact and significance for their relationship with religion in America. These trends are (1) delayed marriage, (2) fewer children and later childbirth, (3) uncertainties of work and money, (4) more higher education, (5) loosening relationships, (6) globalization, and (7) a culture more and more based on the information explosion.
    This is clearly a sociological work, but non-sociologists, such as counselors and therapists who are concerned about the young adults of this generation and their relationships to organized religion, will find this book worth serious attention. The first several pages of Wuthnow's concluding chapter are particularly illuminating, and should be thoughtfully considered by American religious leaders of all faiths.
    Much has been written about the profound impact the post-World War II baby boomers had on American religion. But the lifestyles and beliefs of the generation that has followed--and the influence these younger Americans in their twenties and thirties are having on the face of religion--are not so well understood. In this book, Wuthnow shows how their faith affects their families, their communities, and their politics.
     Interpreting new evidence from scores of in-depth interviews and surveys, Wuthnow reveals a generation of younger adults who, unlike the baby boomers that preceded them, are taking their time establishing themselves in careers, getting married, starting families of their own, and settling down--resulting in an estimated six million fewer regular churchgoers. He shows how the recent growth in evangelicalism is tapering off, and traces how biblical literalism, while still popular, is becoming less dogmatic and more preoccupied with practical guidance.
     At the same time, Wuthnow explains how conflicts between religious liberals and conservatives continue--including among new immigrant groups such as Hispanics and Asians--and how in the absence of institutional support many post-boomers have taken a more individualistic, improvised approach to spirituality. Wuthnow's fascinating analysis also explores the impacts of the Internet and so-called virtual churches, and the appeal of mega-churches.    
       Furthermore, as baby boomers age, studies indicate that their use of illicit drugs will continue.“The reality is the Woodstock Generation has come of age.Their background is with psychedelic drugs, marijuana, recreational drugs, non-narcotics . . . It’s a real problem.”  Over 2 million aging boomers have severe mental illnesses, many of which are directly related to their long-term habits of illicit drug use.  Against these growing problems, meanwhile, the number of health providers and other service providers is shrinking in proportion. And that means, according to the report, that “a health care workforce that is not prepared to address either [mental health/substance use] problems or the special needs of an aging population is a compelling public health burden.”
         In this book Robert Wuthnow assembles and analyzes a vast amount of data about the religious lives of Americans aged 21 to 45. His interests include the extent to which younger adults participate in organized worship, as well as how they think about spirituality, the relationship between religion and politics, and theology. In particular Prof. Wuthnow explores these two questions:
                    *What are the churchgoing habits and spiritual interests and needs of this generation?
                    *How does their faith affect their families, their communities, and their politics?
     Interpreting new evidence from scores of in-depth interviews and surveys, Wuthnow reveals a generation of younger adults who, unlike the baby boomers that preceded them, are taking their time establishing themselves in careers, getting married, starting families of their own, and settling down--resulting in an estimated six million fewer regular churchgoers. He shows how the recent growth in evangelicalism is tapering off, and traces how biblical literalism, while still popular, is becoming less dogmatic and more preoccupied with practical guidance.
        At the same time, Wuthnow explains how conflicts between religious liberals and conservatives continue--including among new immigrant groups such as Hispanics and Asians--and how in the absence of institutional support many post-boomers have taken a more individualistic, improvised approach to spirituality. Wuthnow's fascinating analysis also explores the impacts of the Internet and so-called virtual churches, and the appeal of mega-churches.
      Wuthnow insists that in some ways, today's younger adults are similar to their boomer parents-the vitality of small groups, for example, is nothing new. But there are key differences, chief among them the tendency of today's younger adults to remain single longer than ever before. Married people are significantly more likely to participate in religious communities; at the same time, participation in at least some religious groups may make marriage more likely.
    Wuthnow concluded that our society provides lots of structural support for children and teens, but leaves younger adults to fend for themselves during the decades when they're making crucial decisions about family and work.