Around 140 youth workers and ministry leaders gathered at Youthfront for a day of learning and dialogue concerning identity formation. Andy Root (Ph.D. Princeton Theological Seminary), was the speaker. Andy is Associate Professor of Youth and Family Ministry at Luther Seminary and is an excellent theologian and Christian thinker. I'm thrilled that he has stayed focused on youth ministry issues. Here are some of my notes from the day...
Before modernity a person was told what their identity would be
Today people can pick their identity
Identity is an invention of modernity
The Things that have been described as identity shapers…
1. Skills and abilities – your work. This is why adolescence was viewed as identity formation because it was the time one decided what job they would be doing. We’ve transitioned from work to consumption… What you can buy defines who you are. Christian Smith’s study revealed that young people don’t think there is any limitation on what you might buy if you can afford it. Credit Card Applications saturate the college campus… this is a building block for identity formation – you can buy your identity by what you consume.
2. Your love – you found a mate. Freud “The healthy person is the person who can work and love.” The melting of work… it is now being viewed as absurd to think that an adolescent can figure out what their work will be. Now every 20 months Americans change careers. The melting of love… it is becoming more rare for persons to fall in love only once. Young people are getting married older… young adults live unconventionally (they don’t think about going to church until they move into a more conventional lifestyle). We’ve transitioned from love to intimacy… Twilight Series.
Older generations see the church as a place where you work and are committed. Some churches are shaping themselves as places that can be consumed. This creates a conundrum.
Emerging adults give very little money to the faith communities.
Our experience of time and space is much different in today’s culture. One can move in and out of contexts and worlds because of technology. The constant change makes grounding difficult.
Live into the context of their own being – as movers…
iTunes and Amazon are always open, you can consume at any time.
Consuming conditions us to love the highs and quickly be dissatisfied when the new wears off.
In the Smith study when adolescents shared stories that were bad or tragic the interviewer would say “I’m sorry.” The adolescent typically responded, “I’m not, it made me who I am.” However, if we refuse to regret anything what impact does that have theologically?
The body becomes the place where we construct our identity. Who is attracted to one’s body shapes their identity. Ex. Jersey Shores. We construct our profiles. Young people compelled to make their bodies the right commodity. Or one gives up and becomes obese, anorexic, etc. Our identities connected to our body often goes beyond rationality.
We’ve lost communities of memories – this is one of the reason why tattooing has become so prominent, it is a way to mark our defining stories.
Fight Club – the only connection he can make is beating one anothers bodies
HOW DO WE HELP KIDS FORM IDENTITY IN JESUS CHRIST?
Jacob was born the heel. He was the con man. He became rich. He has to meet his brother on a day of reckoning. He sends money to pacify his brother. Then he sends his wife and family. Finally he is going to have to meet his brother. Jacob ends up wrestling with God. Who are you? Not Jacob but ISRAEL… one who wrestles with God and he meets his brother limping…
We must help our young people to wrestle with God… Very few of us our limping…
Our trophy kids may be trophy kids because they have the resources that have not made it necessary for them to limp
Often our trophies are those who don’t actually wrestle with God.
Bonhoffer talks about his father’s insistence that “no loose platitudes” were allowed. In theology we should not allow “loose platitudes.”
Adolescents is a social construction
In community the brain develops in a different way…
Erik Erikson – During adolescence we ask existential questions and those questions come up again in the latter part of life. In between -- during the generative time of life we ask less existential questions.
In youth ministry – for a youth worker it is more about the questions we are asking than it is about the way we look (youthful).
God is found in places of death
We cannot confess Jesus Christ in abstraction (Jesus is here). Where is God? God is found in places of death. God is found in Jesus Christ on the Cross crying out “My God, My God, where are you?”
The Church is 200 years behind when it comes to the family. In the Victorian Period the family moved into the private realm… no longer officially the business of the church. So what do we say and do? The church has a ton of parents from all perspectives of the life cycle – why don’t we ever gather them to tell their stories of victories, learning, despair, hope, etc.?
Finding God in the Impossibility
Mike,
Thanks for hosting a great day! Definitely some challenges in how we go about helping students form identity. I love the idea of encouraging and facilitating students wrestling with God, but that sometimes ends up feeling pretty scary as a youth pastor who is supposed to "be in charge". It's hard to help parents understand this idea if they thought my basic role was teen babysitter and then I go and allow doubt and questions about God to come to the surface.
Thanks for allowing space for conversation. Definitely worth the drive from Hutch!
Posted by: Jesse Blasdel | November 03, 2010 at 08:42 AM
Hey Jesse,
Excellent comment Jesse. You are spot on with the challenging reality youth pastors are faced with. It can't be approached without discernment, intentionality and good discernment. I wish we had time to connect. Let me know the next time you are in KC so we can spend some time together.
Peace,
Mike
Posted by: Mike King | November 03, 2010 at 09:08 AM