SOUL SEARCHING
The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers
By
Christian Smith and Melinda Lundquist Denton
(Oxford University Press US. 2005)
ISBN 019518095X, 9780189180954
346 pages
About once every decade, researchers seem to want to probe into the lives of American teenagers. Nothing is sacrosanct. The enquiring covers the gauntlet from sex to music to fashion, and relationships. Not to be outdone, some "religious sociologist" probed into the religion beliefs and practices of American adolescents. Under the auspices of the National Survey of Youth and Religion (NSYR), a team of researchers scoured the country asking questions of teenagers. They wanted to know what the really believed, what religious practices they engage in, and if their parents had any influence over their decisions.
What they found is truly enlightening and probably not what you would expect. No rebellion here against the previous generations religious beliefs or practices. Instead, they emulate their parent's faith. What is troublesome is that they have very little concept of the significance of that faith. Influenced greatly by the American consumer attitude and need to be successful mandate so prevalent in American society. The authors conclude that rather than an authentic Christian faith, what has evolved is a "therapeutic moralistic deism, a pseudo-religious faith that bolsters teenage angst about being successful in life, being nice and responsible, and, as one teen describes it, "not acting like an asshole."
This book is a must for any and all those truly interested in knowing who they are dealing with in the Christian youth community. It sets the stage for Christian education and program development for years to come. The book is not a scholarly chore to read, but is well within the parameters of most all Christian youth ministers and those lay folk who work within the confines of youth ministry in the Christian community. It's a wake up call for all those who anticipate another generation of Christian and are fearful that this one might be the last.
If you decide to read this book, let me know your impressions. I will pass them on through a discussion on the Blog.
—Peter Christian Olsen