7. The Problem of Doubt
Young adults with Christian experience say they find it difficult to find a place, or the language, that allows them to express doubts.
They do not feel safe admitting that sometimes Christianity does not make sense to them. They are afraid to ask their questions for fear of disappointing their parents or other significant adults.
In addition, many worry that their doubts may be viewed as trivial. Some of the common survey perceptions in this regard include not being able or confident “to ask my most pressing life questions” and having “significant intellectual doubts about my faith”.
Over 70 percent of churchgoing high schoolers report having serious doubts about faith.[1] Sadly, less than half of those young people shared their doubts and struggles with an adult or friend. Yet these students’ opportunities to express and explore their doubts were actually correlated with greater faith maturity. Again, we can say, it’s not doubt that’s toxic to faith; it’s silence.
Other researchers[2] discovered that young people have become inarticulate about their faith, often lacking the language to express their beliefs, convictions, or concerns. Further exploration revealed another telling part of this story: so, have their parents.
Christian adolescents and emerging adults often become less fluent in faith over time. But faith needs to be talked about and processed, and if these conversations diminish as our kids get older, we miss opportunities to help them remain fluent. What we call “faithing,” or the ongoing act of faith, depends on practice and use for it to become deeply part of us. It is through faithing that language, behaviours, beliefs, and values are internalised.
Blessings
Brian
[1] Book Review, Christianity Today, (21 February 2019) of Growing With by Powel, K & Argue, S. (2019) Baker Book House
[2] National Study of Youth and Religion. Christian Smith, Professor Department of Sociology University of Notre Dame and Lisa Pearce, Assistant Professor of Sociology University of North Carolina https://youthandreligion.nd.edu/.