Following is a short summary of an article in Presence Magazine, December 2012. The article was written by John R. Mabry and is itself a summary of his about-to-be-published-in-March book: Faithful Generations: Effective Ministry Across Generational Lines.
Mabry has also written well-received fiction: The Kingdom, and a new book called Growing Into God: A Beginner’s Guide to Christian Mysticism which Phyllis Tickle calls the “most down-to-earth, unpretentious, user-friendly book on Christian mysticism that I have ever seen.”
Mabry is a professor as well as a UCC-Congregational-Anglican-Catholic pastor in Berkeley. He also sings in two progressive rock bands in the Bay Area. And he’s a member of Generation X. (What are you?)
Generational Ministry:
Spirituality of the Five Adult Generations Alive Today
Mabry refers to Generations by Strauss and Howe, which chronicles the story of generations of Americans from 1584 to … 2069. Their idea: that “generations in America move in a predictable cycle: a Civic generation (responsible builders) is usually followed by an Adaptive generation (compassionate reformers), which is followed by an Idealistic generation (radical visionaries), followed by a Reactive generation (disillusioned pragmatists). Reactive generations are usually followed by another Civic generation, and the cycle begins again.
He also points the obvious, that “individual exceptions to each of the generational portraits below are legion.” But the generalizations are tools, and hopefully they will be helpful.
The GI Generation (Civic Generation – Responsible Builders)
Born between 1901-1924
Architects and leaders of World War II, in the shadow of World War I
Frivolity of Roaring 20’s followed by Great Depression
Primary experience: crisis, met with resilience, courage and ingenuity. Optimistic.
See themselves as genial and responsible, although their children see them as harsh, strict disciplinarians.
Parents of the Silent Generation, born between 1925 and 1942, and early Baby Boomers, born between 1943 and 1960
Divine is “out there” somewhere, a transcendent supreme being who is rational and just, and who expects obedience and responsibility. Concerned more for the community than the individual.
Have great respect for what has gone before and do not presume to know better.
How They See Spiritual Maturity How They See Spiritual Immaturity
Obedience Rebelliousness
The Silent Generation (Adaptive Generation – Compassionate Reformers)
Born between 1925-1942
All the Civil Rights leaders were in this generation, but no presidents
Mission: to humanize the institutions built by the G.I. Generation
Sought justice for those run roughshod over by society
Parents of the Baby Boomers, born between 1943 and 1960, and early Generation Xers, born between 1961 and 1981
Divine is a loving, parental figure, at once transcendent and intimate. God is deeply concerned for the needs and health of each and every person. Desires deep and meaningful relationship with every human being, demands justice and opportunity for all people.
How They See Spiritual Maturity How They See Spiritual Immaturity
Compassion Indifference to suffering and injustice
The Baby Boomers (Idealistic Generation – Radical Visionaries)
Born between 1943 and 1960
Came of age during the Cold War & buttoned down conformity of idealized suburban American “dream” – perfect family, traditional gender roles, 2.5 well-behaved children.
Primary experience was of 1950s injustice and hypocrisy
Motto: “You build it up, mother, we gonna tear it down.” (tear down G.I. institutions hopelessly marred by corruption)
Sought transformation (from injustice to justice, bondage to freedom, material to spiritual) in every area of life: societal, educational, institutional, personal, religious.
Previous generations saw them as rebellious, they see themselves as righteous ( and become more modest as they age)
Parents of the Generation Xers, born between 1961 and 1981, and early Millennials, born between 1981 and 2001
See the Divine not as a being “out there” but as a spiritual force that is imminent and omnipresent. God focuses less on personal sins (premarital sex, lust, etc) and more on social sins (greed, racial prejudice, economic injustice)
Evangelical mega-churches (not tied to mainline) began as a largely Boomer phenomenon, doing church “their way,” swapping hymns for soft-rock praise and sermons for seeker-friendly talks utilizing pop psychology and coaching terminology.
Focus on solitary spiritual practice rather than traditional communities.
How They See Spiritual Maturity How They See Spiritual Immaturity
Commitment Apathy
Generation X (Reactive Generation – Disillusioned Pragmatists)
Born between 1961 and 1981
First generation to be seen by older generations as problem instead of blessing (unique film genre, the demon child – like Rosemary’s Baby, The Omen, Children of the Corn)
High divorce rate, latchkey kids – primary experience of world is alienation – born into a culture that did not want them.
Watched their Baby Boomer parents’ inconsistency and consequent hypocrisy and denial – Watergate and Vietnam. Resulted in complete rejection of idealism
Uniformly iconoclastic, chief form of humor is deconstructive irony.
Pervasive stereotype (by Boomer parents) of apathy is wrong: they care about people, animals, the earth, politics…but rather than march on city hall to protest homelessness and poverty, they hand out sandwiches on the street.
Generational motto: “Whatever works!”
Only living generation with a pessimistic disposition
Parents of the Millennials, born between 1981 and 2001, and early post-Millennials, most likely to be the next “Adaptive, compassionate reformer” Generation.
Fiercely non-institutional and often non-religious.
Divine is not “out there” but imminent, yet impersonal. God cares about the world, but not about what happens to individuals.
All religions are helpful, but all religions are flawed.
How They See Spiritual Maturity How They See Spiritual Immaturity
Authenticity Hypocrisy
The Millennial Generation (probably will be a Civic Generation – Responsible Builders)
Born between 1981 and 2001
Have known more care, companionship and privilege than any previous generation in history
Hopeful, optimistic, happy
Primary experience of the world: connection (to parents, grandparent, family, friends, and world via online technology)
Confident, smart, cooperate well with others
Zeal for building a better more secure, more cooperative world is like that of the G.I. generation (the last Civic generation in the cycle)
While older generations argue, they quietly get online and solve problems
Older generations see them as spoiled; they see themselves as happy
They are not yet parents, but their children will most likely be the next generation of adaptive, compassionate reformers (born between 2001 and 2021).
The Divine: transcendent but largely irrelevant being. “Moral therapeutic deism,” or ethical humanism. Least religious generation in history.
Connection itself is a foundational aspect of Millennial spirituality.
How They See Spiritual Maturity How They See Spiritual Immaturity
Happiness Unhappiness
(If you are doing things right, you will be happy, and if you are not happy, then you are doing something wrong.)
…and next?
Will be an “adaptive generation” as the Silent Generation was. Likely they will be tweaking what the Millennials are building.
From a blog (http://cloakedmonk.com/2012/10/31/article-review-generational-ministry/): “My own thoughts on what they will be tweaking…the “technological spirituality” will begin to take a back seat to interpersonal contact. Touch and contact is very important. But privacy will be valued as they confront corporate and governmental intrusion into every aspect of their life. They are the most tracked generation. So as we develop ways to deal with “technological spirituality,” we should be cognizant of overusing this to reach the post-millennial generation. They may lead to the unplugged generation.”
