Dear Generation-Most-Recent

I have intentionally engaged over the past few weeks in serious, albeit brief, religious conversations with persons of the mysterious Generation-Most-Recent. I prefer to not call them Millenials, because it sounds too much like Millenialists, which is another thing altogether. To be honest, I don't find much homogeneity in the generation, except a few obvious characteristics that persons are eager to note. People of this generation claim to be "spiritual instead of religious." Persons say that they are not involved in any religion, but pray to a God and believe in "Him." Despite what we in the Church have been told, persons of this generation seems to appreciate structure and liturgical consistency, Persons seem to want a way to be people of faith, but without all the bureaucratic infighting, focus on meaningless minutiae, orthodoxies, doctrines or labels. These young men and women do not appreciate denominationalism or institutional politics. Many simply want to do what they know to be in everyone's best interest. (One note: Just because these young men and women say that this is what they hold dear does not mean that they are any better at it than previous generations. Most are no better at spending their time, talent and treasure in pursuit of heavenly virtues than any generation before them.)

There is one additional shared characteristic that every young person that I have talked to has mentioned. They say that they are not religious because religion teaches people to reject, exclude, judge, criticize, be superior, condemn and hate.

I spend all of my time attempting to teach people to love. I expend all of my energy in trying to get people to focus on the things that really matter. No matter how much time and energy is put into the important factors of living out our faith, however, people will complain about being hot and cold, many times on the same days. They will say that the sound system is too loud, while others complain that they cannot hear. They will search out conditions of the facility about which to complain. They will make snarky comments about the state of the church when they refuse to embody the very reason behind its existence. People will tie decision-making up in impossible organizationalism and institutionalism, so much so that it is remarkable that the church gets anything done. I get it, dear persons of the Generation-Most-Recent. I share your frustration and your disappointment.

Mostly, I get that the history of religions is full of hate, rejection, exclusion, superiority, and judgment. Just when it seems that we are turning a corner in openness and acceptance, cultural elements pull us back into an old, tired, unreasonable configurations of justified sectarianism, protectionism, fear and fascism. Oh, I get it, persons of the Generation-Most-Recent. It is not right. It is not fair. It in no way reflects the founder of our faith or a faithful practice that is built around his mission and ministry.

Here's the deal, though. You are the ones who can call the Church on its participation in damaging and destructive religious patterns. You are the ones who call the Church to accountability to its founder, to the purpose that lies at the foundation of its existence. Remaining outside the Church and pointing a finger at it achieves nothing. You are its hope, its future, its promise. Without you in it, the Church has scant little future, let alone being religion at its best. We can work together in order to shape a Church that is faithful to Christ Jesus' mission and ministry. We can configure missions and ministries that reflect the ethical archetype of Christ.

Or you can just let us pass into irrelevance, hoisted upon our own petard of self-concern, institutionalization, member entitlement, and narrow-mindedness. Won't you please save us from ourselves, dear persons of the Generation-Most Recent? Won't you please prove that you are a generation of more than empty words and antagonistic cynicism? Won't you please reach out a saving hand to the drowning potential of the Church of Jesus Christ...or the Synagogue...or the Mosque...or the Temple...or the Sacred Spaces and Sacred Practices? We need you!