The Bible Reading of Young Evangelicals

An Exploration of the Ordinary Hermeneutics and Faith of Generation Y

Perrin

• Publisher: Pickwick Publications
• Year: 2016
• eBook ISBN: 9781498293433
• Topic: Teologia e religione
• Subtopic: Religione

Young evangelicals in Britain often find themselves at odds with an increasingly secular society, and yet the tradition persists and in some places flourishes. Sociological studies into the faith of this demographic group are rare, yet there is much to be explored as to how their faith functions and how it compares to other groups globally. Similarly, given the privilege evangelicals afford the biblical text, how young believers engage with the ancient Scriptures they understand to be "the word of God" is particularly significant.This work addresses that core question. How do young evangelicals make sense of the Bible today? Based on qualitative data gathered from three diverse evangelical churches it compares the reading priorities, ordinary hermeneutics, and theological concerns of young adults. Presenting age-related focus groups with challenging biblical narratives, the study compares strategies for negotiating the texts based on age, gender, and churchmanship. It provides a unique insight into the realities of Bible reading and the faith of "Generation Y" and gives food for thought not only to those with scholarly interests, but also those with a pastoral concern to shape and sustain the Christian faith of young adults in Britain and beyond.

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Introduction

Background to the Project

Rationale for the Research

This project was born out of fifteen years of ministry with young British evangelical Christians. To date there has been little empirical research into this group and so this research set out to explore four areas of their faith.

• Firstly, how it develops as they progress through the liminal period of their twenties.

• Secondly, since Evangelicals emphasize the Bible as central to their faith and yet there is considerable evidence of declining biblical literacy, it aimed to explore their biblical engagement and hermeneutic processes.1

• A third priority was to examine differences across the spectrum of British evangelicalism; to explore how far young evangelicals conform to the doctrinal positions of their churches and the extent to which trans-denominationalism is creating a more eclectic form of evangelical spirituality.2

• Finally, having previously undertaken research into gender-related issues I wanted to examine how far attitudes to gender influenced behaviour and biblical engagement.

These sociological, theological and hermeneutical questions are interrelated and are woven throughout this book, providing nuanced evidence and fresh insight into contemporary British evangelicalism and the faith of young adults in that context.

Researcher Context

With the advent of liberationist and feminist research methodologies, it has become standard practice for sociologists of religion to declare their understood biases and personal agendas. I am a charismatic evangelical, biblical feminist and a non-ordained minister. However, I grew up within Reformed evangelicalism and have been involved in a range of national and international evangelical organizations. I have friends and colleagues from across the world and have been fascinated by the differences in global evangelicalism. Within the UK I have attended Baptist, Anglican, and New Churches, have friends and colleagues from Methodist, Brethren, Pentecostal, and Reformed traditions and have often found myself translating across denominational boundaries. I am an insider researcher, with the advantages and limitations that brings. However, I am not blind to the limitations of my chosen tradition, nor entirely unsympathetic towards others I do not belong to. In fact, my diverse background facilitated this research. The church leaders invited to participate were personal friends and colleagues, and our shared concerns motivated their cooperation. Inevitably, as an insider researcher there were dynamics that I was normalized to, however it also allowed me to understand references and responses that an outsider might have misunderstood. I have therefore endeavoured to be both objective and respectful towards the range of beliefs and traditions among those participating.

Who Is This Book For?

This book is adapted from a doctoral thesis and aimed at two audiences. Firstly, the academy; those interested in the fields of the sociological study of evangelicalism and of emerging adulthood. It adds to a growing body of work in both fields. However, it is also aimed at those in the church who wish to reflect on their own ministry, Bible teaching and its impact on younger generations. The first chapter provides definitions which will help in understanding specific terminology and highlight related work. The second, a methodology chapter, introduces the participating churches and focus groups. Chapters 3 and 4 consider in detail the ordinary readings and interpretative methods of the young adults involved, comparing them with scholarly analyzes and wider evangelical trends. Chapters 5 to 7 reflect on three of the theological distinctives which divide British evangelicals: attitudes towards the supernatural, acts of violence attributed to God, and issues around gender. Each considers current debates before presenting the response of the readers. Chapter 8 examines group dynamics and chapter 9 draws some conclusions. My hope is that it will stimulate discussion, reflection, and thoughtful engagement with both the faith of contemporary young adults and how they read the Bible.

Situating the Research

Although this project has clear overlaps with the field of practical theology it has not primarily focussed on transforming practice or creating ministerial outcomes. It is a study in biblical hermeneutics or “ordinary biblicism” and the sociology of evangelicalism with particular reference to emerging adults. To situate the project, some terms first need to be defined and the literature in those fields considered. They are: “contemporary British evangelicalism,” “emerging adulthood,” and “ordinary biblicism.”

Defining Evangelicalism

As philosophers and linguists have long told us, words do not have c...

Table of contents

• Title Page
• Foreword
• Preface
• Acknowledgments
• Chapter 1: Introduction
• Chapter 2: Research Methodology
• Chapter 3: Interpretative Priorities: What Matters to Young Evangelical Bible Readers?
• Chapter 4: Ordinary Hermeneutics: How Do Young Evangelicals Read Scripture?
• Chapter 5: Evangelical Theological Distinctives:Engaging with the Supernatural
• Chapter 6: Evangelical Theological Distinctives: Wrestling with the Violence of God
• Chapter 7: Evangelical Theological Distinctives: Gender, Postfeminism, and the Faith of Generation Y
• Chapter 8: Evangelical Group Dynamics: Challenging the Stereotype
• Chapter 9: Some Conclusions: Fresh Views on the Faith of Generation Y
• Bibliography