Recently I have been participating as a delegate of the Presbyterian Church, USA in the Faith and Order Commission of the National Council of Churches in Christ. My group is reviewing a World Council of Churches document on the Nature and Mission of the Church.
This post focuses on trends in American spiritual life and the way we see that reflected in the worship life of our communities. So what follows is a scrap of some source referencing I offered my workgroup that I share with you in order to spark some sharing and conversation. I found two resources useful in helping to define a common religious dynamic confronting American Christians:
The first is from an Alban book entitled "The Postindustrial Promise: Vital Religious Community in the 21st Century" by Anthony E. Healy. I find this book offers very insightful assessments. However like may, the solutions fall short at the end. Nonetheless, chapter 2 on Change in Postindustrial America offers a very good 23 page assesment of our common life and its impact upon religious community.
The second book is based on much data and thus has less of a distillate character. It is by Robert Wuthnow, entitled "After the Baby Boomers: How Twenty-and Thirty-Somethings Are Shaping the Future of American Religion." The most helpful is a 19 page chapter entitled "Going to Church-Or Not: Who Participates in Congregations." Also, four pages of the chapter on "American Religion" treat the topic "A Generation of Tinkerers" taking Claude Levi-Strauss work on the bricoleur and expanding it in our context to provide insight into life and religious practices of the upcoming American generation.
Blessings! - Brian
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