The traditional American religious landscape has changed significantly over the past several years. Many Americans are now identifying themselves as spiritual, but not affiliated with a particular religion (Oshatz). The Millennials, born between 1981 and 1996 (Pew Reports, Comparing Millennials), are finding themselves right in the midst of this religious “...floating…” (Mosier). The Millennials quest for meaning, magic, mystery, and identity has been significantly influenced by many factors including secularization, globalization, individualism and technology. Millennials are searching for meaning in classrooms and a country where secularization has removed religious discussions from classrooms and boardrooms while globalization globalization has introduced a wide array of new religious options. American individualism has paved the way for individual exploration of identity. While
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Millennials have lost the, “...very ability to believe…” (Globalizing, p 44). Classroom lessons are taught through a factual, scientific lens. Millennials are taught to search for answers, prove and support their opinions, and challenge suggestions that are not scientifically substantiated. Lessons about meaning and belief are replaced with experiments, documentation and supporting evidence of claims. The message they are hearing is that, “…science and religion are at odds…” (Frye). The idea of transcendence is lost to the Millennial generation, and along with it went the magic and mystery that accompanied religious experience. Secularization has virtually eliminated, “…coherent symbolic universe of meanings...” (Unbelief, page 74). Also vanished is the understanding of individual significance and an understanding of one’s purpose in the world. In other words, individual identity and meaning is no longer being cultivated or supported in the
Millennials have lost the, “...very ability to believe…” (Globalizing, p 44). Classroom lessons are taught through a factual, scientific lens. Millennials are taught to search for answers, prove and support their opinions, and challenge suggestions that are not scientifically substantiated. Lessons about meaning and belief are replaced with experiments, documentation and supporting evidence of claims. The message they are hearing is that, “…science and religion are at odds…” (Frye). The idea of transcendence is lost to the Millennial generation, and along with it went the magic and mystery that accompanied religious experience. Secularization has virtually eliminated, “…coherent symbolic universe of meanings...” (Unbelief, page 74). Also vanished is the understanding of individual significance and an understanding of one’s purpose in the world. In other words, individual identity and meaning is no longer being cultivated or supported in the