After the Baby Boomers: How Twenty- and Thirty-somethings Are Shaping the Future of American Religion - Rilegato

"Robert Wuthnow of Princeton has just published a tremendously valuable book, After the Baby Boomers that looks at young adulthood through the prism of religious practice."--David Brooks, New York Times

"In a volume sure to change how pundits and clergy think about religion in the contemporary U.S., prolific Princeton sociologist Wuthnow assembles and analyzes a vast amount of data about the religious lives of Americans aged 21 to 45... Wuthnow argues that our society provides lots of structural support for children and teens, but leaves younger adults to fend for themselves during the decades when they're making crucial decisions about family and work. Though long passages of dense statistics make for a sometimes clunky read, this book is terrifically important."--Publishers Weekly (starred review)
"Robert Wuthnow, [a] distinguished sociologist of religion...focuses on...a group that is not just the harbinger of the future but that already constitutes about half the country's adult population. Wuthnow has a great deal to say about marriage, weddings, marital happiness and parenting [and] describes modest changes in worship services and programs that might help congregations engage young adults, especially unmarried ones."--Peter Steinfels, New York Times

"Wuthnow has analyzed an impressive array of data and provided a thought provoking argument about the future, and the present, of American religion."--Matthew T. Loveland, Catholic Books Review

"[This book provides] a challenge to think more broadly about the future of the church, assisted by a leading sociologist's analysis of current trends."--Brian D. McLaren, Christian Century

"As generations pass and distance grows, so do the values which issues from the body of believers gathered in...the church...Robert Wuthnow's important new book After the Baby Boomers...is a potential wake-up signal, an alarm blast."--Martin Marty, Sightings

"Christian leaders who are ready for change will not find a prescription or program in After the Baby Boomers. What they will find is a challenge to think more broadly about the future of the church, assisted by a leading sociologist's analysis of current trends. And they will find something else: a sympathetic voice speaking on behalf of young adults who are highly interested in God, highly in need of guidance and support, highly networked and networkable, highly available to be equipped for vital mission, and largely uninspired by what churches are currently doing...I find myself even more eager to be part of the solution to the problems raised by Wuthnow. Much is at stake."--Brian McLaren, Christian Century

"Wuthnow shares the concerns of religious and spiritual leaders because...he understands the great benefits religion provides society...[A] precise study...After the Baby Boomers is a work of social science [that paints] a detailed picture of the lives of young adults today."--Patton Dodd, Shambhala Sun

"Princeton University's Robert Wuthnow, the most distinguished sociologist of religion in America today, has presented a timely and important text for pastors and those who are concerned about the future of religious communities in America. After the Baby Boomers offers pastors and church leaders an important text to ponder. Wuthnow places his finger on many issues that the church must confront."--Andrew Root, Word & World

"Open any page of Robert Wuthnow's latest book, After the Baby Boomers, and you are sure to find a nugget of data that will add nuance to some of the well-worn assumptions about he religious lives of the so-called Generation X."--Michelle Dillon, Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion

List of Figures and Tables ix
Preface xiii

Chapter 1: AMERICAN RELIGION An Uncertain Future 1
How to Think about Younger Adults 3
The Population of Young Adults 7
Coming of Age at Forty 9
The Religious Significance of Young Adults 12
A Generation of Tinkerers 13
An Uncertain Future 17

Chapter 2: THE CHANGING LIFE WORLDS OF YOUNG ADULTS Seven Key Trends 20
Delayed Marriage 21
Children-- Fewer and Later 24
Uncertainties of Work and Money 28
Higher Education (for Some) 36
Loosening Relationships 37
Globalization 42
Culture--An Information Explosion 44
Summing Up 49

Chapter 3: GOING TO CHURCH--OR NOT Who Participates in Congregations? 51
Attendance in Two Time Periods 52
The Reasons for Declining Participation 54
A Closer Look at Marriage and Children 62
Communities 65
Is the United States Becoming Like Europe? 66
The Profile of Regular Church Goers 68
Religious Attendance in Perspective 69

Chapter 4: THE MAJOR FAITH COMMUNITIES Thinking Beyond Winners and Losers 71
The Significance of Young Adults 72
The Major Faith Traditions 75
Evangelicals and Mainline Protestants 77
Black Protestants, Catholics, and Jews 84
Other Faiths and the Nonaffiliated 86
Beyond Winners and Losers 87

Chapter 5: THE BIBLE TELLS ME SO (I THINK) Recent Trends in Religious Beliefs 89
Some Possible Scenarios 90
Decline in Orthodox Beliefs 96
Orthodoxy, with Rising Secularity 98
Countervailing Effects of Diversity 101
Orthodoxy Mixed with Heterodoxy 103
Different Trends among Educational Categories 107
Changing Relationships with Education 108
Different Trends among Faith Communities 110

Chapter 6: SPIRITUALITY AND SPIRITUAL PRACTICES The Role of Faith in Personal Life 112
Church Shopping and Hopping 114
Social Networks 117
Civility 120
Are Converts Different? 123
Seeking Answers 124
Spiritual Practices 127
Music and Art 129
Spiritual but Not Religious? 131
The Nature of Spiritual Tinkering 134

Chapter 7: FAITH AND FAMILY Facing the Difficult Choices 136
Considering Marriage 136
Having Sex 138
Weddings 139
Marital Happiness 141
Parenting 142
Right and Wrong 145
Empathy 148
Threats to Today's Families 149
Seeking Support 151
Religious and Ethnic Diversity 152
Faith Matters 155

Chapter 8: THE DIVIDED GENERATION Religion and Public Life 157
The Split between Conservatives and Liberals 160
Civil Religion 163
Voting in Presidential Elections 167
Mixing Religion and Politics 171
Hot-Button Issues: Abortion 173
Hot-Button Issues: Homosexuality 174
The Religious Right 177
War and Peace 179
Why It Matters 180

Chapter 9: EMERGING TRENDS Immigration and Ethnic Diversity 183
Hispanic Catholics 183
A Note on Hispanic Protestants 187
Asian Americans 188
Hospitality or Hostility 193
A Closer Look at Church Involvement 197

Chapter 10: THE VIRTUAL CHURCH Religious Uses of the Internet 201
Religion Websites 201
Social Issues 203
The Internet and Religious Music 206
Staying in Touch by E-mail 207
The Internet and Spiritual Seeking 209
Congregations and the Internet 212

Chapter 11: VITAL CONGREGATIONS Youthful and Diverse 214
The Profile of Youthful Congregations 219
Minichurch or Megachurch 221
Alternative Styles of Worship 223
Meeting the Changing Needs of Families 225
Interreligious Programs 226
Opportunities for International Ministry 227
Opportunities for Service 228
A Future for Congregations 230

APPENDIX 233
The National Young Adults and Religion Study 233
Methodology 234
The Surveys and Other Data 238
Qualitative Interviews 247
Supplementary Tables 251

Notes 255
Selected Bibliography 279
Index 293