Understanding the religious climate for American teenagers is a highly valuable sociological tool. Not only does it allow for a preview of the future, but it also affords the opportunity to serve as a measuring stick for the effectiveness of parenting. Studying teenage religiosity also reveals how well teens are able to articulate their personal beliefs, which can reveal the strength of their values. The majority of American teenagers are either some form of Christian or not religious at all (Smith and Denton Kindle Location 699). While this is true, there is a small percentage of American teens that fall into other religious affiliations. Finally, the teenage years are a good age range to study because conversion is highly likely during these years as teens are easily swayed by ideas that challenge their beliefs (Smith and Denton Kindle Location 94). A difficulty of the teenage years is discovering oneself. According to Chap Clark, “to survive, a young person must learn how to be a child, a student, an athlete, and a friend, while also continuing the ever-lengthening process of determining who he or she is” (2). Furthermore, teens find themselves trying to find the elusive definition of personhood in the midst of myriad influences. As mentioned, the task is truly a tall order, considering all the outside sources telling teens who they are as they try to figure it out themselves. For instance, a teen may define himself or herself as a “fundamentally morally responsible agent, an illusion of individuality destined to dissolve into cosmic unity, a sinner being divinely redeemed and sanctified,” and many other personae (Smith and Denton, Kindle Locations 3812-3813). With all of these different definitions of personhood out there, the...
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...tinue to exist, for it is already in a state of collapse” (Clark 56). Involved parents can shape the ethical and moral basis for their children and leave a lasting impact. In closing, the teenage conception of personhood is paramount to both self-discovery and defining who God is. Many sources, but none more than social factors and parents heavily influence these definitions. From the religiously disconnected and the highly religious, teenage religiosity provides a good view of societal views and our immediate future. After all, nearly all dominant cultures have treasured their youth because of their potential (Clark 7).
Works Cited
Clark, Chap. Hurt 2.0. Baker Book Group. 2011. Kindle Edition.
Smith, Christian and Denton, Melina Lundquist. Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers. Oxford University Press. 2005. Kindle Edition.
Butler, J., Balmer, R., & Wacker, G. (2008). Religion in American Life : A Short History. Oxford: Oxford University Press.
First, religion has often played an important role in people’s lives, however its significance continues to decrease in recent decades. Parents do not pass on faith or beliefs onto their children, because most parents do not have faith or beliefs. These parents believe it would be hypocritical to teach their children about being spiritual, when they are not spiritual themselves. Children often go to their parents with questions regarding matters such as death, life, and God, but "Western culture is so secularized that parents can evade or dismiss 'religious' questions without feeling that they’re merely getting themselves off the hook" (Brandt 193). In contrast wit...
In the end, the article explains most effective way to teach teens a sexual ethic through is through what the author calls plausibility structures. Plausibility structures are the networks by which beliefs held by individuals or groups are sustained. Because we live in a diverse age with many competing views on human sexuality, norms are kept alive by networks of people, organizations, and communities who tell and teach each other that some ideas, actions are worth doing or believing, and some are bad and ought to be resisted. Teenagers who are embedded in strong religious plausibility structures, usually through active religious involvement and strong religious commitments, are more likely to make sense of their developing sexuality in religious terms and using religious motivation.
Evert, Jason, Crystalina Evert, and Brian Butler. Theology of the Body for Teens: Discovering God's Plan for Love and Life: Student Workbook. West Chester, PA: Ascension, 2006. Print.
By the 1950’s, Americans began to grow concerned about the morality of their children, especially since “the common school inculcates all Christian morals; it founds its morals on the basis of religion; it welcomes the religion of the Bible.”3 School boards across the region began to investigate ways to teach moral...
A Scientific Understanding of God Two eighteenth century movements, the Enlightenment and the Great Awakening, changed American colonists’ views on reason and wisdom. The Enlightenment, led by philosophers such as John Locke, emphasized abstract thought to acquire knowledge. The European and American thinkers’ research led to a greater understanding of scientific phenomena and the questioning of the government’s rule. Similar to the Enlightenment, the Great Awakening changed colonists’ mode of thought through the concentration of emotion rather than wisdom. Reverend Jonathan Edwards, a Great Awakening revivalist, emphasized seeking salvation by recognizing one’s own moral corruption and surrendering to God’s will. Although the Great Awakening challenged religious, social and political orthodoxy, the Enlightenment had a greater impact on colonial America and vastly influenced future decisions. The Great Awakening reached a large quantity of people because of the traveling orators that preached the evangelical word. Although Enlightenment learning was limited to the wealthy, educated colonists, the movement’s influence was still stronger because the well-to-do ruled the land. Enlightenment philosophers began questioning corrupt governments and the combination of church and state. John Locke claimed that because the people created a government, then civilians could change the run of the government. This belief, perhaps, was the most influential to colonial society. Educated and powerful political leaders began questioning their government under British rule, therefore, igniting dreams of independence. The Enlightenment theory added to the oppression of British rule led to a revolution. Although not as significant as the Enlightenment, the Great Awakening still had a deep impact on colonial society. Primarily, the conflict that arose between the religious revivalists and ultimately ended in a split in the evangelical group changed the face of religion in the British colonies. The New Light revivalists spawned such denominations as Baptist and Methodist, which differed in the old lights beliefs in doctrine and matters of faith. These new sects resulted in a stronger tolerance toward religious diversity. Also, because revivalists preached mainly to backcountry people who had no religious affiliation, the emphasis on emotion rather than wisdom gave less-educated people a feeling of self-worth. These new freethinking converts gained the strength to begin questioning social and political order. The movements of the Enlightenment and the Great Awakening mainly produced a new mode of thought for American colonists.
Spiritual modeling has also influenced adolescents’ religious and spiritual development. Teachers, both in education and the Church, have the opportunity to enhance attributes such as wisdom, good character, and generosity by modeling spirituality (Lerner, 109). Spiritual models are designed to be examples of the positive purpose of goal setting and pursuing. They should seek to demonstrate making positive con...
Paul Tillich. “What Faith Is”. The Human Experience: Who Am I?. 8th ed. Winthrop University: Rock Hill SC, 2012. 269-273. Print.
Just what is theology? This question can have a wide variety of answers, from irrelevant facts about God thought up by men centuries ago, to complicated theories discussed by scholars. Typically, the average 21st century man does not consider theology as relevant. Unfortunately, nothing could be further from the truth. Theology by definition has the characteristics of both expounding the truth, and impacting the believer with that truth (Himes, 2011). Therefore, theology and the church are intricately combined, in that the church embodies the revelation of God, and is reality, not theory (Himes, 2011). A personal practical theology must begin with revelation, not the individual (Himes, 2011), and proclaim the truth in a way that impacts, equips, and mobilizes the believer to make disciples in the genre of God’s choosing.
* Anderson, Ronald D. “Religion and Spirituality in the Public School Curriculum.” New York. Peter Lang Publishing. 2004.
The Awakening, written by Kate Chopin, tells the story of one woman’s path to finding self-discovery. Edna Pontellier, the lady, who transforms herself from an obedient housewife to a person who is alive with strength of character and emotions which she no longer has to repress. How an individual’s true nature could conflict with societal expectations is revealed. It deals with the day-to-day realities that a woman may face if she chooses to pursue her own needs and desires that do not fit with what society expects. To remain true to one’s conviction a woman must have relentless strength and courage. This metamorphosis is shaped by her surroundings. Just as her behavior is more shocking and horrifying because of her position in society, it is that very position which causes her to feel restrained and makes her yearn to rebel. Yet, this story shows how the good and bad that comes along with choosing to live outside of society norms. Another point that Chopin makes is how devalued a husband can make a wife feel. This treatment could lead to a woman finding and pursuing different desires that she would not have otherwise pursued. In The Awakening, Kate Chopin’s main character, Edna Pontellier is “awakened” to a desire to live a life free of the accountability of her existing life as a wife, mother, and a homemaker in order to be the independent woman that realizes she wants to be. She awakens first to a discontentment in her life, then to a mental awakening, to the passion of music and art, to the pleasure of her own body, and finally, to boundaries that she no longer wishes uphold. For Edna that was a life of solitude, which was unbearable for her to accept. Chopin reveals how a person can gradually become affected by her enviro...
When most people hear the label Generation –X they think of a hopeless generation of youth that have given into the pressures of the world. I would like you to think of the X as the Greek symbol for “Chi” which is used as a symbol for Christ. In this decade the youth involved in the Christianity has grown significantly. Youth are responding to the church in ways that the past generation did not. Where mom and dad embraced the tumultuous sixties their children have taken hold of Christianity. The youth organizations that promote the Protestant doctrine have seen the youth membership grow by 50% since 1990. Catholic Churches have witnessed their youth involvement double in the last decade. The youth are coming from all walks of life, backgrounds and income levels. Although the majority seems to be whites, the number of young blacks involved in Christianity has become notable.
This theory concludes that during the level of conventional reasoning, an individual bases their moral reasoning off of the rules and expectations of those they deem to have authority (Arnett, 2015, p. 382). I find that this theory applies to the observation of this adolescent as she was brought to this religious gathering by her mother and engaged in activities as expected by those who ran the event. During this observation period, she was reluctant to engage in activity congruent with morals and religion, until prompted by those around her. This act of conformity, in addition to being dropped off at this gathering by her mother shows that the authority of others in religious and moral practice respectfully. As morals are key to religious practices, it can be concluded that the influence of authority on religious practice is also present in that of her
"Who Is God To Me" God means many different things to many different people. There are a lot of people who believe that there is no such thing as a God. There are people who believe that there is no God because no one has ever seen him. I personally believe that there is a God because of my faith. I have faith in God and I feel that God is real. I have many reasons why I believe in God and who God is to me. But I have three reasons that stand out for me about who God is to me. They are the following: God is always there for me, God is my friend, and God is my creator. These are my three most important reasons of who God is and what God means to me. God has never let me down in my life. Sometimes I feel that God has let me down or that He did not answer my prayers in times that I most needed Him. But I have to realize that everything that God does is for a reason. God has taken a few friends of mine from this Earth at a very young age. I have prayed to God and asked Him why? But I have never seemed to fully understand why. I have come to the conclusion that God works in mysterious ways. I do not think that anyone can fully understand why God does what He does. So for this, I do not feel that God has ever let me down. He just does these things for a reason and if you believe in Him, He will never let you down either. God is the longest lasting friend I have ever had in my life. He was there for me before I was born and He will be there for me after I leave this Earth. God is the best listener also. I can talk to God anywhere at anytime. Every time I want to talk to Him or ask Him a question, He is there for me. Most of my other friends are at least a phone call away, but not God. He has always been there in time of need, even though sometimes I feel like He is not. Even when I do something wrong, He is there to forgive me and set me straight.
In America, the society runs on what teenagers want. From Nicki Minaj to the junior section at Sears, most of what the people see, hear, or touch is aimed at the teenagers. Being an adolescent is probably the most exciting and most popular time period in a person’s life. The teens seem to have it all, but what about the parents who raise them? The parents of the teenagers never get any credit during this time period, although they have every right to. Parents and teenagers should strive for a strong, lasting relationship for these years, though most times there isn’t one. The relationship between teenagers and parents is the most vital bond in the family because this relationship should and will prepare them for the next step in life.