Cultural Change, Contemporary Teenagers and Religious Education

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Cultural Change, Contemporary Teenagers and
Religious Education

• Rev Dr Philip Hughes
• Christian Research Association, Australia
• Www.cra.org.au

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Christian Research Association

• Formed in 1985 to conduct research for churches
  and their agencies of all denominations
• On the nature of faith in the Australian context

Senior Members Anglican Diocese of
Melbourne Baptists of Victoria Catholic Bishops
Conference ACCESS Ministries Converge
(International) Lutheran Church,
Australia Prahran Mission Salvation
Army Seventh-day Adventists Tabor College
(Victoria) Uniting Church, Synods of Victoria and
NSW
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Activities

• Major research projects of interest to all parts
  of the church
• Contracted research
• 'Clearing house' for research related to faith in
  the Australian context through 'Pointers'

Major product Australian Religious Communities
A Multimedia Exploration Encyclopedia of 174
religious organisations. Used everywhere from
Federal Parliamentary library, to universities,
secondary schools to primary schools.
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Research
Christian Research Association

• An on-going process
• Rapidly changing world
• Current major projects
• General trends in religion and spirituality
• Responses to spirituality
• Issues arising from migration
• Youth ministry in local churches
• Sports chaplaincy

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Recent Books Relevant to Schools
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Serving Schools

• Feedback to schools on the spirituality of
  students
• Sense of self
• Sense of purpose
• Sense of social justice
• Commitment to principles of life
• Religious faith and influence in life
• Have surveyed about 75 schools
• Survey some annually, bi-annually, 5 years
• Also surveys of staff and alumni

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Attitudes to Religious Education

• Up to 25 enthusiastic
• 50 put up with it
• 25 to varying extents hostile
• Depends on proportion of immigrants
• Selective policies of enrolment as the biggest
  influence is that of attitudes to religion in the
  home
• Little variation with teacher or how taught

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Attitudes Vary with Topics

• Most enthusiasm among most students about ethics
  and social justice
• Least enthusiasm in topics related to the church
  such as sacraments
• Not particularly enthusiastic about other
  religions
• Enthusiasm is related to how relevant the topic
  is seen to be

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Why is there such negativity?

• When teaching about the very basic questions such
  as who we are?
• What is our purpose in life?
• What is it that gives life and hope ?

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2009 More spiritual than religious in Australia
Totals Spiritual 40 Religious 33 Neither 44
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Widespread and Growing Suspicion of Religion in
Many Parts of the World but Particularly European

• Decline in confidence in religious institutions
• Sexual abuse has been a major issue
• Belief that religion contributes more to violence
  than to peace
• Largely because of recent terrorism and role of
  religion in wars
• 'Discomfort' with some values of religions
• Particularly sexual ethics environment
• Belief in God makes little sense for some

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To Identify Trends ...

• Looked at the percentage of people over 60 who
  described themselves as 'religious' and
  'spiritual'
• Compared with the percentage under 60 who
  described themselves that way
• Use '60' because find major differences between
  people over 60 and under 60 (people born before
  or after 1950 people after 'Boomer Generation')

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Religious Trends in 44 Countries
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Spiritual Trends
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Some Observations

• In almost every country except Israel, young
  people are less likely than older people to
  describe themselves as religious
• Note that few Middle Eastern and African
  countries were included
• In some countries younger people were more likely
  than older people to describe themselves as
  spiritual
• Although in many countries this was not so
  particularly Catholic countries

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Major Caveat

• Many countries have no parallel to northern
  European sense of spirituality (eg Thailand)
• Many migrants from these countries into Australia
  do not understand the European individualised
  spirituality
• Churches (and religiosity) are growing primarily
  among migrants in Australia
• Between 2001 and 2011, migration accounted for
  200 of the growth in numbers of Christians

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What Do These Trends Mean?

• Different meanings of spirituality in different
  countries
• For some (especially in Catholic countries), it
  is a more personal belief in the supernatural
• For others (particularly in Northern Europe and
  America), it is an individualistic approach to
  'religion'
• Spirituality growing most where it is NOT related
  to belief in a personal God

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Heelas and Woodhead

• Life was seen in 'life as' terms
• Identity was given by one's gender, ethnicity,
  social status, etc
• Identity now seen in terms of fulfilment of
  'subjective life'
• Life is now what we want to make it as
  individuals and no longer determined by personal
  or social characteristics
• See this in relationships, occupation, etc.

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Origins of Change in 1960s and 1970s

• Change in worldview arose from
• Change in methods of raising children raised as
  individuals, rather than as part of community or
  even as subject to family
• Due to smaller families (and the pill) and
  capacity to pay attention to needs of individual
  child plus advice from Spock, etc..
• Change in early life experiences more
  'pluralistic' due to pluralism in local
  communities, TV, etc.

Post-modern individualism has deep roots in early
childhood
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Other Influences on Rejection of
Institutionalised Religion / Pro Spirituality

• Mass media introduced more pluralism and sought
  to develop 'consumeristic' attitudes
• Protest against institutions, including
  government and church, which seen to have wrong
  values in 1960s and 1970s
• Failure of government in relation to war
• Repression by churches of sexuality
• Both seen to fail in terms of women's rights
• Increasing options for individuals in relation to
  occupation, etc.

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Consumeristic Styles of Thinking

• Has origins in child-rearing and the focus on the
  needs of each individual child
• Child begins thinking from the premise of what
  does it mean for me
• Not necessarily focussed on consumption of
  material goods
• Joins in activities (including religious) on
  basis of perceived benefits for themselves and
  others

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Social Media

• Increased mobility and availability of electronic
  forms of communication in 70s meant decreased
  significance of local communities
• Social media in last few years has increased
  contact with specific chosen 'friends' rather
  than people meet face to face
• Shared assumptions develop in these communities
• Religious communities have become less
  significant in the formation of community

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Three Movements in the Rebellion
Rejection of belief Personal God no longer Make
sense in age of science
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Additional Factors in Last 15 Years

• Terrorism with religious base
• Sexual abuse and cover-up by religious
  authorities
• Concern re exclusion of homosexuals

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New Age

• New Age ideas were influenced to some extent by
  the occult
• New Age movement was partly a movement against
  some of the values of institutionalised religion
• Advocated freedom in personal expression
• Especially sexual expression
• Advocated linking with nature
• Focus on wellbeing here rather than after death

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Influence of the New Age Movement

• Asked about various influences on life in the
  Wellbeing and Security Survey (2002)
• 14 definitely, 19 probably 'God has a big
  influence on how I live'
• 10 definitely, 32 probably affirm the
  importance of 'being in tune with nature'
• 1 definitely, 3 probably affirm the influence
  of the New Age movement

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Spirituality Today in Anglo Countries

• Mostly rejected institutional forms because
  spirituality is 'individualised'
• New Age, Wicca and Pagan ideas have dissipated in
  weakened forms into the general community
• Thus spirituality seen in nature, but few claim
  power of nature
• Focus on wellbeing has roots in New Age but
  accepted by many outside the New Age movement as
  an 'aim' in life

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Some Characteristics of Contemporary Spirituality
(Fisk)

• Eclectic rather than particular in sources
• Focus on experience rather than dogma
• On this-worldliness rather than life-after-death
• Is practised and owned personally rather than
  collectively
• Is egalitarian in approach rather than dependent
  on hierarchies in institutions or in expertise
• Takes a human-centred rather than a God-centred
  approach to life

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In Australia 2 Main Types of Spirituality

• Eclectic drawing on a variety of resources to
  enhance personal life (8 of population in 2002)
• 69 believe in spirit or life-force (17 in God)
• 8 attend a church monthly or more often
• Nature finds spirituality in nature and
  identity with nature (9 of population in 2002)
• 53 believe in spirit or life-force (21 in God)
• 4 attend a church monthly or more often

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Is It Likely to Disappear?

• Lack of institutional forms makes spiritual very
  weak and amorphous
• Most people ignore the religious / spiritual in
  everyday life
• Thus, could be a step towards greater secularity
• However, many people aware that materialism is
  inadequate for dealing with life
• Spiritual important in relationships
• And in inner wellbeing

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As Something Personal ...

• People look for activities or events which will
  nurture their spirituality
• Contribute to their wellbeing
• Assist them to fulfilment in spiritual life
• For some yoga, meditation
• For others art, music, drama, film
• For some some form of community / small group
• For many 'holidays', relaxation

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What are the Implications for Christiansand for
Religious Education?
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Heelas and Woodhead, The Spiritual Revolution
(2005) Churches Feeding the Subjective Self
Doing Better

• Greater focus in the churches on the subjective
  self
• Mainstream churches focus on social justice and
  the community which does not necessarily feed
  the subjective self
• Many evangelical churches have rigid ideas about
  how the self should be
• Charismatic churches often doing better in
  nurturing the subjective self

How should respond depends on theology of
mission, not on sociological description
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Emphases in contemporary spirituality with
connections to Christian tradition

• Spiritual recognises there is 'something beyond'
• Sees this in mystery in human life and in
  universe
• Sense of mystery in line with the mystics of many
  religions including Christians (Antoon Geels)
• Antidote to Protestant tendency to
  anthropomorphise God and 'take out' the sense of
  mystery (Karen Armstrong)

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Recognition of Mystery in Natural World

• Present in the Psalms and prophets
• Problem arises when nature is seen as inherently
  mysterious rather than pointing to a transcendent
  Mystery
• Contemporary spirituality reminds Christians to
  recapture respect for creation and dedication to
  its care

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Experience Rather than Dogma

• Many Christians traditions have emphasised
  experience rather than dogma
• True within the Eastern and Oriental Orthodox
• In a different way, also true within Pentecostal
  and charismatic Christianity
• Hence Pentecostals and charismatic have connected
  better with post-60s people than other
  denominational traditions

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Protest against Institutionalism of Religion

• Has occurred frequently in Christian history
• Left-wing of the Reformation included such a
  protest
• Also present in Restorationism
• Need that protest again to lighten the weight of
  Christian institutional baggage

But the radical individualism of spirituality is
a step too far!
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Agree with Contemporary Spirituality

• Need to re-charge our batteries and care for
  ourselves
• Need time for reflection, time to step aside from
  business of life
• Need to express ourselves through music, art and
  drama
• In functionalism of Protestantism, have lost
  sight of these reflections and celebrations of
  roots in the Mystery of God

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Protest against Contemporary Spirituality

• Find fulfilment not in focus on self-realisation
  through obeying 'inner impulses'
• Through contributing to one's relationship with
  others
• In contemporary society, all can develop own
  biography
• Biography becomes meaningful as make contribution
  to wellbeing of others and wider society

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But not stay with focus on self

• Most people recognise that fulfilment found in
  relationships with others primarily friends and
  family
• Also in contributing to wider society, through
  paid occupations and through voluntary activities
• Surveys and interviews with teachers enhance
  spirituality through international or national
  aid, pilgrimage, theological study, with family

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In Jesus' terms

• Purpose of Christian mission is to call people to
  love God and to love their neighbours as
  themselves
• Primary means of fulfilment of this is not
  attendance at worship services
• Numerous ways in which churches could open up
  ways for people to develop the relationship with
  God and with others

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Individualistic approach to life means ...

• People will increasing connect with Christian
  churches and other organisations through
  short-term involvements
• Through specific task groups and activities
• Through festivals and one-off events
• Less involved in long-term involvement in
  congregations

Churches need to prepare for this in training of
leaders, development of communication systems,
and in change in financial systems
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Growth in Chaplaincy Fits Contemporary
Spirituality

• Chaplains in schools, hospitals, sporting clubs,
  prisons, even local councils
• Non-denominational
• Non-demanding
• Often care unconditionally
• Focus on the wellbeing of the individual and
  their immediate community

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Should 'religious education' become 'spiritual
education'?

• Simply trying to 'pass on' the tradition no
  longer works
• Young people are convinced that they must own
  whatever they believe and how they live
• Yet, we are generally not doing much to prepare
  them to make their own wise decisions about faith
  or spirituality

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What is needed for 'spiritual literacy'?

• Some understanding of the varieties of faith and
  understanding of spirituality
• See this not in terms of 'world religions' but
  different ways of understanding the world
• Capacity to evaluate these
• Ability to understand the consequences of
  decisions of faith
• Willingness to make commitments and live by one's
  principles and understanding

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Spiritual Education Needed More than At Any Other
Time in History

• In individualistic age, young people WILL make
  own decisions
• Tendency to base these on 'short-term'
  consumeristic preferences
• Education can give young people the capacity
• Develop own ways of making sense of life
• Ethical principles by which to live
• Develop communities in which continue the
  exploration