Signposts in the spiritual landscape
of young adults.
1. Erratic idealism
Young
adults are trying to make their way in the world and make their mark. They have
a long period of choice and exploration before the urge to settle asserts
itself. In that period they can become highly motivated, idealistic,
self-sacrificing, compassionate and focussed. A few months later they may well
be apathetic and focussed almost entirely on consuming entertainment. It is
possible to see these swings between apathy and idealism as an exploration of
individual strength and resilience and almost a “trying on” of individual values
that might guide their future life. Some young adults, needing more black and
white simplicity in their search for meaning may well commit themselves to a
comprehensive system of values through religion or a political ideology that
can scaffold their development into the future and give them a sense of identity.
Most are comfortable with muddling along and saving value decisions for later.
The focus is clearly on life-style rather than lasting meaning which may be
seen as static and stagnating.
2. Eclectic sampling
Young people have been born into a world
that is suspicious of institutions. Large organisations are seen as a threat to
individual freedom and as a having hidden agendas. The focal point for young
adults is the individual, mu choices, freedom, rights and dignity. Therefore
they are unlikely to accept complete answers but will be drawn to construct their
own meaning by a DIY process of collecting different elements into a personal
package that can grow and change with life. Therefore they will adopt practices
from a range of traditions without necessarily importing the beliefs behind
them. What they are interested in is the immediate experience rather than the
dogma behind the practice. This can be confusing for religious people who may
feel that they have engaged with a young person only to find that they are also
exploring nature religions at the weekend. Young adults do not experience a
division between the secular and sacred, they can sense spirituality in life
more easily than previous generations. That means that they do not feel the
need for church because they locate the sacred within themselves. The
experience of church does not feed their deepest hunger.
3.
The shape
of spiritual community
The problem with a DIY spiritual life is that it is a lonely process
where motivation can ebb and flow. Many young adults give up and may meet later
challenges without the inner resilience that faith can give. However, in order
to support young adults now, the community needs to have some clear dimensions
if it is to avoid damaging the personal spiritual development of young adults.
Here are some of the elements:
a)
Listening should be the primary mode of
communicating- valuing the experience and unique history of each young adult.
b)
Avoid lumping people together and suggesting
that “we are all on the same journey” because that is not how young adults are
likely to experience their life.
c)
Expect
inconsistency between what is expressed by young adults and their life-style.
The pressures to conform are strong and extended into mid-life. Living
consistently across the board is more difficult because young adults can
compartmentalise their experience and compromise- as all of can.
d)
Any group gathering around spirituality needs to
avoid “gurus” in whatever shape they may come, partly because of the power
differential that may lead to manipulation but more because they may undermine
the personal autonomy of a young adult in discovering their identity and
direction in life.
e)
The general atmosphere has to be one of freedom
and the space to have one’s voice heard. Top down talk will not do.
4.
Belonging
in groups
The group is the sacred space for young people. With all its strengths
and weaknesses it is the place where values, identity and meaning are forged
for the future. This is particularly true for many young women. The flow of
SMs, online chat, the falling out and reconciliations become a curriculum for
clarifying what is and is not important. This spiritual work goes on constantly
through the random events of social life but it becomes more focussed when a
cause is espoused. Compassion and anger can be explored and strengthened through
justice and service of others. Beneath the practical work values and beliefs
are tested and a broad vocational direction is explored. These groups can be
related to church but it would not be wise to assume that such young adults are
buying into the beliefs of the church- they are simply doing good and testing themselves.
5.
Extended
adolescence
We can all revert to adolescence at any age but today adolescence is
prolonged for many young adults. The strong desire for autonomy alongside an
extended period of financial dependence in western culture make for frustration
in living out a longer adolescence. The importance of remaining flexible in a
changing world inevitably delays the longer term commitments of adult life.
Many decisions need to be deferred and the time of explorations and experimentation
extends. For this reason travel, parties, casual sex, video games, changing
jobs, extended study and ambivalence about “settling down” highlight this
period of uncertainty. The uncertainty comes to an end when a crisis or a
choice forces a decision that pushes the young adult out of a self-focussed
developmental phase into committed action. The absence of a crisis moment might
condemn even mid-life adults to an almost perpetual adolescence.
6.
Plurality
of culture
Young adults have grown up in a western world where multiple cultures
live alongside one another providing a rich source of approaches to meaning
within which the Christian approach is just one among many. This richness is
expressed in clothing, music and dance most visibly but notions such as
re-incarnation, karma, mindfulness, Feng Sui and so on explored and adopted at
least for short periods of time. However, where cultural identity is weak some
young adults find the variety threatening and can opt for single black and
white answers that can lead to rigidity and eventually to prejudice against
other expressions of culture. Closed belief systems tend to reinforce this
approach and even promote such rigid young adults as examples of faith and commitment.
In fact the closed black and white system can become a house of cards that can
collapse leaving the young adult feeling betrayed and angry.
7.
Social
movements and politics
Movements
and political parties are classified under a “suspicious” heading in much the
same way as church when considering values and identity. Young adults need to
question all authority and expect that these organisations to win their respect
and not assume it to exist. Therefore they are slow to join groups or movements
and often do not stay for long. There is a strong desire in young adults to
change the world but alongside that there is also a desire to find their own
way and a powerlessness to make any difference in a complex dynamic world.
Therefore young adults worry about globalisation, environment and fair trade
but most are unlikely to change their personal choices about spending or travel
to ease those global dilemmas. They worry about the gap between their deepest
ideals and the power they have to make a difference.
8.
Anxiety
and violence
Global terrorism is a constant concern for young adults. The extremism
and narrowness of view behind anarchic terrorism confuses the average young
adult. The destabilising impact of violence globally and locally casts a
fearful shadow over the optimism of young adults and raises suspicion of
national groups in a multi-cultural society. The suspicion extends to any
organisation that makes meaning claims that threaten individual identity. The
ability of such “isms” to suffocate individuality to the point where suicide
bombings seem to make sense leaves young people at a loss. How can violence be
an answer? What is the best response to it?
Does religion promote narrowness? There are no clear answers for young
adults to these questions and their strategy is to avoid all narrow closed
systems as a form of self-preservation. The absence of young adults from church
is not apathy but a commitment to authenticity.
Conclusion.
The landscape within which
young people grow is their sacred ground and we must be careful not to judge.
Instead we need to walk with them and listen to them well. It is only when we
have assured them of their dignity and freedom and met them with loving
kindness that we can hope for the invitation to unwrap our own treasures and
offer them new reasons for living and hoping.
