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Study: Christian Teens Theologically Shallow

by AFA Journal
April 28, 2005

(AgapePress) - Results from a recent survey conducted by a North Carolina researcher reveal that the majority of America's youth believe in God, yet there is a shallowness in their religious knowledge, and they have difficulty expressing their faith.

Christian Smith, a sociologist at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, led 133 researchers and consultants in conducting a project that involved telephone surveys of 3,370 English- and Spanish-speaking Americans and face-to-face interviews with 267 of the participants -- all ages 13 to 17. Protracted funding will allow the researchers to track these young people through 2007.

Thus far, telephone surveys reveal that young people have a broad fondness for religion, although their religious knowledge is labeled as "meager, nebulous and often fallacious" as found through the personal interview portion of the study.

In other words, teens were unable to coherently express their beliefs and the impact of faith on their lives. In addition, many participants appeared so separated from the traditions of their faith that they viewed God as a feel-good problem solver who merely existed for that purpose. There were no indications of an absolute, truth-based theology among the teens.

"God is something like a combination Divine Butler and Cosmic Therapist who is available when needed," Smith wrote in his new book titled Soul Searching: The Religious and Spiritual Lives of American Teenagers, co-authored with Melinda Lundquist Denton.

Smith credits parental tendencies of Baby Boomers, poor educational and youth programs, and responsibilities and activities that vie for teenagers' time as reasons for their skewed view of the Almighty.
This article appeared in the April 2005 issue of AFA Journal, a monthly publication of the American Family Association.

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Why go through all the trouble of doing a study? Next time, they could have just asked me! ;D Shallow Adult Christians raise shallow childern, who then turn into shallow adults, and the whole thing is repeated over again.  :(

:D  Tibby, I think that you just spoke volumes. However, there is a large question remaining:

How many adult Christians have a clue that they are shallow?

Maybe another question:

If they did know they were shallow, would they admit it or do anything about it?

Love In Christ,
Tom

John 14:16-18  And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you.

Yeah, it is a sad state we are in.  :(

Tibby,

The answer is for Christians to have a strong desire to study God's Word and become strong in the LORD. I think that some Christians get this desire on their own in many ways, and others have to be motivated in some manner.

This is one reason why I like some of the discussions here. Bible study is actually required for those who really want to participate. I said "SOME", and that is a key word. I also know that some discussions here make people angry or hurt their feelings. So, I have mixed emotions about many discussions, especially the ones that get too hot. There is another side to the coin. Some think that debate causes a lot of Bible study and a good exchange of information where everyone learns something, even in some of the hot topics. Like I said, I have mixed emotions about many discussions.

Brother, it would be nice if everyone had a natural and automatic desire to study God's Word, but I don't have the answers for that. Many churches have Bible study as a high priority, and I think that Christians are fortunate to attend a church like that. A good teacher or pastor many times gets people hooked on Bible study, and the Holy Spirit takes over from there. It's unfortunate to say that many people remain baby Christians and never take the steps to become strong in the LORD.

Love In Christ,
Tom

Jude 1:3  Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints.

Amen. :-\