This is so fascinating. And I now have two more books that I have to read. I was just saying to some friends the other night that, along with Christian campus fellowship, what I really pray about for my boys as they go to college (I have a high school junior and a freshman and we are starting the college process with the junior) is that they prioritize church attendance while at college. I was raised a believer and had a strong faith on my own when I went to college, but we had not been regular church attenders (long story) during my teen years. I, therefore, only sporadically went to church. I mean, college itself didn't make it super easy. The only churches within walking distance (no one could have cars on campus the first two years) were mainline denoms that, even in the late 1980s were pretty dead. So I, in my late-teen infinite wisdom, mostly didn't go. I can't remember now, but I fell into the once-a-month category. Or, more accurately, weekly for a month, then not for two, etc. But I married a man who, while not verbal about his faith, is the one who gets us up every Sunday for church. And I think that man, and God's grace, is why I have teenagers who WANT to worship, fellowship with other believers, go to small groups and youth group. If they maintain their faith into adulthood, I will feel like I have accomplished (again, with God's grace and much prayer and picking the right father for my kids) the purpose for which I was put on this earth.
I listened to this latest Nancy Pearcey book and found it fascinating! I really appreciated the history of men and women’s roles in the family and in relation to each other and in relation to the church and community. Especially the move from the family farm to the industrial revolution and beyond. That explained so much! it doesn’t fix anything but it is helpful to know where this came from. And I personally love your constant admonition to go to church!
When I started in ministry I used to care a lot about the why. Why people stopped attending. Why people started attending. Of course church councils and thin skinned clerics really only deeply cared about the first, because that was always taken as a rejection of "us". And how could anyone reject beautiful us? And I'd dutifully try and have an "exit interview", to get a why. But over time I eventually realized that all the stated whys were just the acceptable answers floating in the air. There was really only one real answer - faith. They didn't believe anymore. To those that have, more will be given. To those that lack, even what they have will be taken away. And you saw it play out in church attendance, over and over. The C&E attender something comes near and over a couple of years they are more than weekly. The monthly attender drifts into occasional and then into seasonal and eventually - even after multiple visits - just disappears. Why? They don't believe it. But that is more truth than most councils are willing to accept.
This is so fascinating. And I now have two more books that I have to read. I was just saying to some friends the other night that, along with Christian campus fellowship, what I really pray about for my boys as they go to college (I have a high school junior and a freshman and we are starting the college process with the junior) is that they prioritize church attendance while at college. I was raised a believer and had a strong faith on my own when I went to college, but we had not been regular church attenders (long story) during my teen years. I, therefore, only sporadically went to church. I mean, college itself didn't make it super easy. The only churches within walking distance (no one could have cars on campus the first two years) were mainline denoms that, even in the late 1980s were pretty dead. So I, in my late-teen infinite wisdom, mostly didn't go. I can't remember now, but I fell into the once-a-month category. Or, more accurately, weekly for a month, then not for two, etc. But I married a man who, while not verbal about his faith, is the one who gets us up every Sunday for church. And I think that man, and God's grace, is why I have teenagers who WANT to worship, fellowship with other believers, go to small groups and youth group. If they maintain their faith into adulthood, I will feel like I have accomplished (again, with God's grace and much prayer and picking the right father for my kids) the purpose for which I was put on this earth.
I listened to this latest Nancy Pearcey book and found it fascinating! I really appreciated the history of men and women’s roles in the family and in relation to each other and in relation to the church and community. Especially the move from the family farm to the industrial revolution and beyond. That explained so much! it doesn’t fix anything but it is helpful to know where this came from. And I personally love your constant admonition to go to church!
That's super fascinating, about the great divide between the two types of "Christian men."
I'm working my way into another category, where I try to go to church at least two days a week.
When I started in ministry I used to care a lot about the why. Why people stopped attending. Why people started attending. Of course church councils and thin skinned clerics really only deeply cared about the first, because that was always taken as a rejection of "us". And how could anyone reject beautiful us? And I'd dutifully try and have an "exit interview", to get a why. But over time I eventually realized that all the stated whys were just the acceptable answers floating in the air. There was really only one real answer - faith. They didn't believe anymore. To those that have, more will be given. To those that lack, even what they have will be taken away. And you saw it play out in church attendance, over and over. The C&E attender something comes near and over a couple of years they are more than weekly. The monthly attender drifts into occasional and then into seasonal and eventually - even after multiple visits - just disappears. Why? They don't believe it. But that is more truth than most councils are willing to accept.
Yes, now my book stack grows. As a researcher, I am eager to see how Nancy Pearcey parses the data.
It is dangerous to my wallet to read your essays/book reviews. Thanks again, Anne.