A study by The Barna Group conducted among 16- to 29-year-olds shows that a new generation is more skeptical of and resistant to Christianity than were people of the same age just a decade ago. Analysis of this research is reported in the book unChristian by David Kinnaman. According to the article on the Barna website:
The study shows that 16- to 29-year-olds exhibit a greater degree of criticism toward Christianity than did previous generations when they were at the same stage of life. In fact, in just a decade, many of the Barna measures of the Christian image have shifted substantially downward, fueled in part by a growing sense of disengagement and disillusionment among young people. For instance, a decade ago the vast majority of Americans outside the Christian faith, including young people, felt favorably toward Christianity’s role in society. Currently, however, just 16% of non-Christians in their late teens and twenties said they have a “good impression” of Christianity.
One of the groups hit hardest by the criticism is evangelicals. Such believers have always been viewed with skepticism in the broader culture. However, those negative views are crystallizing and intensifying among young non-Christians. The new study shows that only 3% of 16 - to 29-year-old non-Christians express favorable views of evangelicals.
The Proportion of those “Outside”
Christianity is Growing with Each Generation
Even young Christians are catching the negative perceptions.
Among young Christians, many of the negative images generated significant traction. Half of young churchgoers said they perceive Christianity to be judgmental, hypocritical, and too political. One-third said it was old-fashioned and out of touch with reality.
Combine that with this study that finds that Negativity Is Contagious and the Christian church is facing big problems.
“Though we may not care to admit it, what other people think about something can affect what we think about it. This is how critics become influential and why our parents’ opinions about our life choices continue to matter, long after we’ve moved out. But what kind of opinions have the most effect? A new study reveals that negative opinions cause the greatest attitude shifts, not just from good to bad, but also from bad to worse.”
Because Cedar Grove is committed to Reach… Teach… and Release… we must understand what the broad community thinks of Christians and change these negative perceptions if we are to be accepted as having anything worth paying attention to.
With this as an introduction, we’ll post a few more articles in the days to come reviewing the chapters in this book.
Posted under Book review
Submitted by Phil, 10:59 am
Another Book Review: I have found the church library to be an extremely good resource for Christian literature. I recently read STANDING ON THE ROCK by J. M. Boice. I found this book to be a very good reminder of why the written word is important.
If you have put off reading the Bible this authoritative read may be just the thing. For me, it helped clarify the importance of the written word. How the Bible shapes Christian thinking and how others perceive it today. It’s a great source for enabling a person to respond to the many questions posed by others about the Bible.
Dr. Boice was truly a remarkable biblical scholar. He was pastor of the historic Tenth Avenue Presbyterian Church in Philadelphia. Before his death he had published nearly forty books including an excellant Commentary on Romans.