Attitudes toward church

A Study Of People's religious habits has produced some insights into their feelings about church membership. Three groups of North Carolinians and Southern Californians were surveyed: generation Xers, born between 1964 and 1979; baby boomers—those born between 1946 and 1963—and pre-boomers, who were born prior to 1946. The study was conducted by Rev. Jackson W. Carroll of Duke University and Professor Wade Clark Roof at the University of California, Santa Barbara.

Since 45 percent of the Xers went through some form of family disruption—parental divorce or separation, for example—the researchers suggest that this could be the reason for the low percentage of Xers who were involved in religion while they were growing up.

Another finding involved both Xers and boomers who "are more interested in autonomy, freedom, independent thought and religious exploration and are not committed to institutional religious involvement." As a result, these individuals are often uninformed about religion, traditions that Christians take for granted, and the Bible. "That means there is a major educational task facing churches today," says Rev. Mr. Carroll.

United Methodist News Service

CHRISTIANS AND CYBERSPACE

Many People Have expressed concern about online relationships and have asked if the attachments people build with each other in cyberspace are healthy and wise. "Christians, therefore, have to ask why cyber relationships and cyber spirituality are so attractive.... A mere condemnation of cyber communities is not helpful at all. In understanding and empathizing with people who are attracted to cyberspace, Christians might ... develop an understanding of community and reality which is so attractive that it can be seen as a valid alternative to cyberspace."

"Christian Theology in an Age of Computers" Science & Spirit Winter 1997

Science and faith

"I've Always Thought of religion and science as compatible and even necessary for each other ever since I was a child,' ... says [Dr. Joel Primack, a cosmologist at the University of California, Santa Cruz].

"Even his Bar Mitzvah speech was on religion and science. 'I had read Einstein's book "Out of My Later Years," and in his essay on science and religion he says. "Religion without science is blind, and science without religion is lame." Einstein also said that he never met a true scientist who wasn't religious—who doesn't have a deep sense of the mystery of the universe, and who doesn't feel awe before the universe.'"

Reported in The Christian Science Monitor
December 8, 1997

Electronic Bible-study programs

While the Future of Bible and Bible-based software has yet to be discovered, those who develop these products are seeing them more and more as having a specific spiritual purpose.

Speaking with writer Steve Deyo, Frank Hannon of Epiphany Software offered a specific example: "An Australian distributor said, 'I've been using Bible software for five years to study about God, but now I see that this software can be used to meet God.' Now that's a big, bold, audacious claim, but I don't think the spirit of God would preclude it."

By using cross-referencing software, an individual studying the Bible is exposed to myriad themes of creation, heaven, the Holy Spirit. Hannon went on: "I see dove and wilderness; as I read through this, I see that the theme of the dove has characteristics of sacrifice and tenderness and purity.... So ... I go back to my Bible passage, and I meet God, and I say, 'God really loves the things he creates.' ... and then the Holy Spirit hits me ... [and says], 'I love you, Frank.'"

Reported in Christianity Today
October 27, 1997

Believe in young people

After Thirty-Nine Years in education in the Merrimack Valley of Massachusetts, Henry E. McNamara—an award-winning teacher—offered this insight:

"So many kids, at 13 or 14, have the 'can't make it' label ... You can't give up on a kid because they foul up. You still have to correct them ... but that doesn't mean you're giving up on them."

Quoted in The Eagle-Tribune
(Lawrence, Mass.)

WHERE DO CHILDREN LEARN ABOUT FORGIVENESS?

Some 61% of Americans believe that families are still the primary setting in which children learn about forgiveness, but a poll by the Barna Research Group suggests that other influences also come into play.

According to the study, "more than one-third (36%) of Americans believe influences outside the family—peers, the media, churches, and schools—actually have the most influence in how children learn about forgiveness."

While many conclusions can be drawn from the survey, it's clear that both parents and non-family members need to set a good example for young people in forgiving others.

PR Newswire
November 24, 1997