An article in The Atlantic which summarizes interviews of college age atheists is must reading for parents and church leaders.
Larry Alex Taunton has written an article for The Atlantic in which he summarizes why a number of young adults say they became atheists. Most were reacting against Christianity. Taunton says the story of one college age atheist named Phil is typical of college age atheists from across the country.
As the narrative developed, however, it became clear where things came apart for Phil. During his junior year of high school, the church, in an effort to attract more young people, wanted Jim to teach less and play more. Difference of opinion over this new strategy led to Jim’s dismissal. He was replaced by Savannah, an attractive twenty-something who, according to Phil, “didn’t know a thing about the Bible.” The church got what it wanted: the youth group grew. But it lost Phil.
An hour deeper into our conversation I asked, “When did you begin to think of yourself as an atheist?”
He thought for a moment. “I would say by the end of my junior year.”
I checked my notes. “Wasn’t that about the time that your church fired Jim?”
He seemed surprised by the connection. “Yeah, I guess it was.”
Phil’s story, while unique in its parts, was on the whole typical of the stories we would hear from students across the country. Slowly, a composite sketch of American college-aged atheists began to emerge and it would challenge all that we thought we knew about this demographic.
Read the whole thing here.
HT: JT
My friend from Birmingham sent this to me today. My response in part to him “A tragic irony that the institution intended to shore up those in the faith actually played a part in their departure from it! I’m becoming more convinced that worldview training and apologetics should be in every church ministry offering. These disciplines can no longer be viewed as electives if we are to make a difference in hearts and lives for Christ.”