TX-NM Network Gathering: August 1315, 2015 Generations and the - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

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

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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.

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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?

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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?

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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.

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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.

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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?

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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)

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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.

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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)?

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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?

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Turnings: High

Along with the cycle of generations is a cycle of four social or mood eras they call turnings. They are precipiated by an alternating cycle of Secular Crises and Spiritual Awakenings. Crisis: Institutional life is destroyed and rebuilt in response to a perceived threat to the nations survival. Civic authority revives and institutions re-form. High: Post-crisis era when institutions are strong and individualism is weak. Awakening: Institutions are attacked in the name of personal and spiritual autonomy. As society reaches peak of public progress, people tire of social discipline. Unraveling: Institutions are weak and distrusted, while individualism is strong and flourishing.

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Past Crises and Awakenings

Mid 1700’s: First Great Awakening Late 1700’s: American Revolution (Crisis) Early 1800’s: Second Great Awakening (Protestant Revival) Mid 1800’s: American Civil War (Crisis) Late 1800’s: Missionary Awakening 1929–1945: Great Depression, WWII (Crisis) 1960–1980: Cultural Revolution (Awakening) 2001–????: War on Terror + Economic crisis

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Lifecycle Diagonal

Year 0 Year 22 Year 44 Year 66 Rising

Civic Adaptive Reactive Idealist Civic Adaptive Idealist Reactive Reactive Civic Adaptive Idealist Idealist Reactive Civic Adaptive

Elder Midlife Youth

Age 44−65 Age 66−87 Age 22−43 Age 0−21

Awakening Spiritual Crisis Secular

Social Moment

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Why This Cycle?

Each generation responds and reacts to the generation of their parents and grandparents, and the events those generations precipitate. For example,

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Responses to Lifecycle: Idealist

According to Strauss and Howe, each generational type follows a persistent life pattern. An Idealist generation grows up as increasingly indulged youth after a secular crisis; comes of age inspired by a spiritual awakening; fragments into narcissistic rising adults; cultivates principles as moralistic midlifers; emerges as visionary elders guiding the next secular crisis.

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Responses to Lifecycle: Reactive

A Reactive generation grows up as unprotected and criticized youth during a spiritual awakening; matures into risk taking, alienated rising adults; mellows into pragmatic midlife leaders during a secular crisis; maintains respect (but less influence) as reclusive elders.

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Responses to Lifecycle: Civic

A Civic generation grows up as increasingly protected youth after a spiritual awakening; comes of age overcoming a secular crisis; unifies into an herioc and achieving cadre of rising adults; sustains that image while building institutions as powerful midlifers; emerges as busy elders attacked by the next spiritual awakening.

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Responses to Lifecycle: Adaptive

An Adaptive generation grows up as overprotected and suffocated youths during a secular crisis; matures into risk-averse, conformist rising adults; produces indecisive midlife arbitrator-leaders during a spiritual awakening; maintains influence (but less respect) as sensitive elders.

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Provisos

Clearly, not everyone in a “generation” is going to think and act similarly. Folks born near the boundaries form “cusp” generations that may share characteristics with two generations. The poor, people of color and GLBT folks may have very different experiences than those that characterize “their” generation.

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Exercise 2

Gather again into your generational groups. Within your group answer the following questions:

1 Identify your cohort and the type of your cohort (Idealist,

Reactive, Civic, Adaptive).

2 Do you think that Strauss and Howe’s characterization of your

generation is accurate? Why or why not?

3 Does the life pattern they outline ring true? Why or why not? 4 Does it still ring true for members of minority groups? 5 Now do the same for the generation of your parents. 6 Speculate how this all might be relevant to the church. Bill Young: 31 Generations Theory