We revisit one of our favorite topics: the incredible interest among the youth for all things traditional. In this era of change and doubt, young people seem to gravitate inexorably to that which does not change. And where everyone especially in youth culture tries to put on a facade, there is a sincere hunger for that which is unmixed and authentic.
We discuss the traditionalist trends in the Catholic and Protestant worlds, looking at the demographic shifts which have produced a unique generation of youth, 18 to 25 years old. This next generation of young people has been fueling traditional Christianity, whereas Anglicanism for the last 10-20 years has been rent by more pressing matters, unaware of larger developments. If we look at the data and social trends, there seems to be an amazing opportunity for traditional Anglicanism to become ‘the best of both kinds’, a beacon in the midst of a brave new world which our young people will inevitably inhabit.
Some articles for reference:
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Eric Metaxas, “The Next Generation of Americans (Gen Z) May Be the Most Conservative Since WWII”
https://www.cnsnews.com/commentary/eric-metaxas/next-generation-americans-gen-z-may-be-most-conservative-wwii -
LifeSiteNews: “Pope Francis Blasts Rigid Young Catholics Who Like the Latin Mass”
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/pope-francis-blasts-rigid-young-catholics-who-like-the-latin-mass -
LivingChurch: “More Evensong, Please”
https://livingchurch.org/covenant/2016/08/22/more-evensong-please/ -
LifeSiteNews: “Pope Francis denounces traditional orders bursting with young people”
https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/pope-francis-denounces-traditional-orders-bursting-with-young-people -
“Move Over Entitled Millenials”
http://www.intellectualtakeout.org/blog/move-over-entitled-millennials -
BusinessInsider: “Goldman Sachs has made a chart of the generations … and it will make the millennials shudder”
http://www.businessinsider.com/goldman-sachs-chart-of-the-generations-and-gen-z-2015-12 -
New York Times: “Do Young Men Want Stay-at-Home Wives?”
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/03/31/opinion/sunday/do-millennial-men-want-stay-at-home-wives.html -
“MAGA Hats Are the Newest Form of Pre-Teen Rebellion”
https://www.racked.com/2017/6/15/15809198/maga-hats-preteens-middle-schoolers -
Telegraph: “One in six young people are Christian as visits to church buildings inspire them to convert”
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/06/17/one-six-young-people-christian-visits-church-buildings-inspire/
Participants:
- Fr. Bart Gingerich
- James Syrow