Here is a great blog entry on why young people are leaving Christianity.
It can be easy to blame college for doubts. I too first experienced serious doubt while a college student. However, I feel it had nothing to do with my professors. It had more to do with realizing how Christianity really is, with making my relationship with God even more my own (my parents and friends had encouraged that process throughout, but it really sharpened in college).
If anything, I'm a Christian today still because of college professors. One in particular realized that something was wrong and spent a tremendous amount of time in order to make sure I didn't just slip away. Other professors were also encouraging. If anything, doubt fostered stronger Christian community for me.
I didn't doubt because of college. And neither do most of my friends who struggled with Christianity. We're too often looking to
pass blame elsewhere instead of first looking in the mirror. We need to be the change we wish to see in Christianity...
Thanks for sharing this link, Ryan Billington
YES! I love this. He says just what I've been thinking (though I have no opinion politically because I don't keep up with the news or politics - don't hate me) for years. It's interesting that this young man finds the same trouble with Christianity as a whole that I've found frustrating about Adventism since college. And sure, I've questioned faith before, and the church...not as extensively as others I know, but there was doubt at some point. But it wasn't because of my professors. If anything, like you said, my continuing to be in the church is BECAUSE of my professors. Any frustration I've ever had with the Adventist church has come from within, not from politicians, non-Christians, or liberal professors. Once the older generation of Christians start accepting this fact and looking for a way to change it, the mass exodus from within may slow to a crawl. That's my theory, anyway...
ReplyDeleteI agree. Change has to come from within.
ReplyDeleteHere's another interesting link: characteristics of people who stay in the church... http://www.churchleaders.com/youth/youth-leaders-articles/159175-3-common-traits-of-youth-who-don-t-leave-the-church.html#.T1jUo0BzdWE.facebook