TX-NM Network Gathering: August 13–15, 2015 Generations and the Church Bill Young MCC Austin Last updated: July 22, 2015 at 09:17 Bill Young: 1 Generations Theory
What I’d Like to Discuss What is Generational Theory? What is a generation? The cohort hypothesis Who are the living generations? Why is it important? Why does it matter to the church? The Church for All People Bill Young: 2 Generations Theory
Sources William Strauss and Neil Howe. Generations: The History of America’s Future, 1584 to 2069, William Morrow: New York, 1991. William Strauss and Neil Howe. The Fourth Turning , Broadway Books: New York, 1997. William Strauss and Neil Howe. Millennials Rising: The Next Great Generation , Random House: New York, 2000. Rev. Karl Travis. “Encouraging Generosity in Difficult Times in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.),” 2010. www.pensions.org/AvailableResources/- BookletsandPublications/Documents/pub-506.pdf and others. A reading list will be provided. Bill Young: 3 Generations Theory
What is Generational Theory? Created by historians William Strauss and Neil Howe, identifies a recurring generational cycle in American history. Attempts to be both explanatory and predictive , in both historical and sociological sense. May be useful to churches with multi-generational congregations, or who are trying to attact multiple generations to worship. Rev. Karl Travis (First Presbyterian Church of Fort Worth) has used generational theory to understand giving patterns in churches. Bill Young: 4 Generations Theory
Becoming our Parents? A long-standing belief is that one’s viewpoint is largely a function of one’s phase of life. E.g., young folks in every era tend to think alike; middle-aged folks think alike; old folks think alike; etc. Is it any wonder that we worry about becoming our mother / father? Bill Young: 5 Generations Theory
Aging in Place: Remaining Ourselves Counterclaim: 60-year-olds today don’t have the same mindset as 60-year-olds did 20 years ago; they have the same mindset as 40-year-olds did 20 years ago. Why do you suppose that is? Bill Young: 6 Generations Theory
Aging in Place: Remaining Ourselves Counterclaim: 60-year-olds today don’t have the same mindset as 60-year-olds did 20 years ago; they have the same mindset as 40-year-olds did 20 years ago. Why do you suppose that is? Because they’re the same people! You’re much more likely to be similar to yourself 20 years ago than to someone 20 years ago who was then 20 years older than you! Maybe the generation you belong to is more determinative of your viewpoint than your phase of life. Bill Young: 7 Generations Theory
Generational Theory Fundamental claims: The era in which one is born affects the development of a person’s worldview. These are shaped in the first decades of our lives by families, friends, communities, significant events. Thus, folks in each cohort / generation share certain common value systems. These “value systems” are drivers of behavior and attitudes and good predictors of behavior and expectations. Bill Young: 8 Generations Theory
Thought Experiment: The GI Generation Consider the “GI Generation” born from 1901–1924. What do you think would have shaped that generation’s worldview? Bill Young: 9 Generations Theory
Thought Experiment: The GI Generation Consider the “GI Generation” born from 1901–1924. What do you think would have shaped that generation’s worldview? World War I, the Great Depression, the rise of Nazi Germany, .... What effect might these events have had on the worldview of the GI Generation? Bill Young: 10 Generations Theory
Thought Experiment: The GI Generation Consider the “GI Generation” born from 1901–1924. What do you think would have shaped that generation’s worldview? World War I, the Great Depression, the rise of Nazi Germany, .... What effect might these events have had on the worldview of the GI Generation? Sacrifice, patriotism, frugality, support for institutions, cooperative spirit, ... At what age did they acquire these values? Do you think they kept those values as they aged? Bill Young: 11 Generations Theory
Phases of Life Each generation ages though the phases of life: Youth: (age 0–21) Central role is dependence (growing, learning, accepting protection and nurture, acquiring values) Rising Adulthood: (age 22–43) Central role is activity (working, starting families and livelihoods, serving institutions, testing values) Midlife: (age 44–65) Central role is leadership (parenting, teaching, directing institutions, using values) Elderhood: (age 66–87) Central role is stewardship (supervising, mentoring, channeling endowments, passing on values) Bill Young: 12 Generations Theory
What is a Generation? A “social generation” is the aggregate of all people born over a span of roughly 20 years, about the length of one phase of life. Represents roughly the birthdate of one cohort until coming of age and having children of their own. The start or end of any “generation” is (obviously) somewhat arbitrary. Often marked by significant cultural events. Bill Young: 13 Generations Theory
The Living Generations The following are the generations currently alive (according to Strauss and Howe’s timeline): GI Generation (born 1901–1924) Silents (born 1925–1942) Baby Boomers (born 1943–1960) Gen X or 13ers (born 1961–1981) Millennials or Gen Y (born 1982–2003) Homeland or Gen Z (born 2003–????) Others place the generational boundaries at other years. Bill Young: 14 Generations Theory
Exercise 1 Gather into groups according to your “generation” (Boomers, Gen X, Gen Y, etc.) Within your group answer the following questions: 1 What major events were formative for your generation? 2 Do you think that your generation has any distinctive traits? If so, what are they? 3 What do you perceive to be significant differences between your generation’s worldview and that of your parents? 4 What do you perceive to be significant differences between your generation’s worldview and that of the following generation (if there is one)? Bill Young: 15 Generations Theory
Cycles of Generations Strauss and Howe, in studying 15 generations in America (1584–present) found a recurring cycle of four “types” of generations: Civic (Hero) Adaptive (Artist) Idealist (Prophet) Reactive (Nomad) These four types have repeated in the same order (with one exception) throughout U.S. history. Idealist (inner-focused) and Civic (outer-focused) generations are dominant and Adaptive and Reactive generations are recessive . Bill Young: 16 Generations Theory
Characteristics of Generations: Civic/Hero Civics are a generation of institution builders. Sense of identity comes from belonging, not from within. Strong trust of institutions and collective action. Fitting in is more important than standing out. Often the needs of the group must supercede the needs of the individual. The G.I. Generation (b. 1901–1924) is a Civic generation. Bill Young: 17 Generations Theory
Characteristics: Adaptive / Artist Adaptives inherit the institutions of their parents and build on them. Generally smaller generation than parents Often seen as a “good” generation Characterized by commitment. Belong to a group, commit to it, make contributions Adopts and enlarges institutions inherited from their parents. The Silent Generation (b. 1925–1942) is a classic Adaptive generation. Bill Young: 18 Generations Theory
Characteristics: Idealist / Prophet Idealists are more interested in individuals and values than in institutions and traditions. Idealists and visionaries, better poets than engineers. Identify comes from within. Individuality is more important than fitting in. Have distate for institutions in general. Baby Boomers (b. 1943–1960) are a classic Idealist generation. Bill Young: 19 Generations Theory
Characteristics: Reactive / Nomad Reactive groups are more negative than other generational types. Typically have far fewer social restrictions than their parents at the same age. Tend to be independent minded, progressive in youth, become well educated. Distrust institutions, but would like them to work. Seen as a “bad” generation trying to follow previous generation into revolution, but fail as society unravels Gen X (b. 1961–1981) is a classic Reactive generation. Bill Young: 20 Generations Theory
Living Generations GI Generation (b. 1901–1924) Civic Silents (b. 1925–1942) Adaptive Boomers (b. 1943–1960) Idealist 13ers or Gen X (b. 1961–1981) Reactive Millennial or Gen Y (b. 1982–2003) Homeland (b. 2003–????) According to this analysis, what should we expect to be the type of the Millennial generation? Of the Homeland generation? Bill Young: 21 Generations Theory
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