Always In Parables | Andy Crouch: Generation Misinformation | Christianity Tod... - The Diigo Meta page

• 23 Jun 08
  

  Wisely

  generations

  • In the Old Testament, the word generation usually refers to the continuity between parents and children, along with the joy of passing on faith from one generation to the next. In the New Testament, the word generally refers to everyone alive at a given moment in time, whatever their age, and the potential for God's judgment on them all. Both senses are vital to the church at this moment in history, whereas breathless hype about "the new generation" is mostly useful to those whose jobs depend on convincing young people they have nothing in common with their parents.
  • In this brave new world, the question is not so much how older people can serve younger people, but how young people can use their newfound power to keep the body of Christ from fragmenting along the lines of generational difference. Why isn't there more discussion among postmodern generations about how to serve, love, and respect our elders?
  • They long for "community." This is the most frequently cited characteristic of younger people, and it is half true. We Gen Xers, Millennials, and so forth do long for the deep, accountable relationships that the word community implies. But we also fear them. Take marriage and family, surely the ultimate expression of a commitment to relationships. If we long for community, why did the median age of first marriage reach 27 years old for men in 1997, up from 23 in 1974? On an episode of Friends last season, the plot turned on Chandler and Monica's mutual reluctance to get engaged. Why did the audience explode in cheers when they decided to live together instead?

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