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Abstract
Generation Z (Gen Z) comprises current adolescent culture, bringing with them a generational worldview lens for topics such as: suffering, success, identify formation, and social justice. Gen Z values safety, has a heart for the outcasted, and is forming identity around successes and accomplishments. This article seeks to ground Gen Z with a piece of historical Christian faith and teaching, applying the fourth-century teachings of John Chrysostom to today’s Gen Z. Much like Chrysostom’s audience, Gen Z views suffering and hardship as punitive and to be avoided. Chrysostom’s teaching provides a fuller understanding of suffering, equipping his audience, and today’s Gen Z, with a mode for building resilience through thanksgiving. Chrysostom taught on the importance of charity, which allows Gen Z to engage their generational values for tolerance and acceptance in the Kingdom of God.
Abstract
With Christian Smith’s consent, research was conducted at a life Conference (Christian & Missionary Alliance’s national youth conference, July 2013) using a modified version of Christian Smith’s and Lisa Pearce’s interview instrument, used in the National Study of Youth & Religion (). Approximately two thousand life Conference attendees (close to 400 youth leaders and 1600 students) participated in the research, though this study reports only on the adolescent responses. Frequency measures and multiple regression analyses provide evidence that adolescents’ religiosity appears to be positively associated with pro-social beliefs and behaviors and negatively associated with pop-culture-religiosity (zombies, vampires, good witches, etc.) beliefs. Single items and scales represented the religiosity variable and the associations of these varying measures of religiosity to dependent variables were compared and contrasted. Implications for issues that may need more or less focus in the classroom with future youth leaders will be discussed.
Abstract
Amongst the complex changes in youth, religious development is also particularly salient. This paper analyzes what is the meaning of religion in youth and what are the possible stress factors that one might encounter when upholding a religious worldview in today’s world. The participants of this study were 41 grade 9 students (ages 15–16) attending four different Finnish Christian schools. The results reveal that religion plays a significant role in the lives of the youth. Furthermore, personal faith functioned as a resource in multiple ways, enabling the youth to experience their life as meaningful. Moreover, according to the youth, a personal religious worldview enabled them to find hope, comfort and strength in different life situations. However, religion was also experienced as a stress factor causing challenges in life, such as being subjected to bullying and discrimination. Still, even then the youth viewed religion as an essential part of their life.
Abstract
Since the 2000s there has been a group of prominent scholars in China embracing the political views of Carl Schmitt. They are aware of the dangerous side of his thought but have provided reasonable analysis in relation to the Chinese social situation. Outlining their discussions, this article will depict the phenomenon with a focus on Schmitt’s controversial political theology. That will be compared with the thought of Dietrich Bonhoeffer. Although their political alignments were opposed to each other, the theoretical structure of their thinking reveals striking similarities. This article will thus articulate the theological reasons that allow for the differences between their ideas and actions and will produce a reflection on the contemporary situation in China. It is not due to the theoretical structure, but to the image of the sovereign embraced, that the stances of the two thinkers differed. From this we may draw implications from a public theological discussion for constructing a democratic society in the context of China.