Spirituality for Generation Y Australians and the implications for spiritual direction
“They can’t make any decisions, because they don’t know what they want, and they don’t know what they want because they don’t know who they are, and they don’t know who they are, because they’re allowed to be anyone they want.” (Sayers, 2009)
This paper broadly describes the young adult generation of
Australians, known as Generation Y, and highlights significant
sociological trends. The context in which young adults are discovering
their identity is influenced by pressures including an increasingly
consumer-driven, fragmented, secular society and an irrelevant and
rapidly declining church. Despite the exodus of young adults from the
church, this group is keen to engage with issues of spirituality and is
willing to explore matters of faith in a plethora of contexts.
Many pastors and leaders struggle to disciple young adults
effectively and very few young people have mature Christians
intentionally accompanying them along the journey. I propose five ways
in which the ministry of spiritual direction can be a vital and
life-giving resource for this generation. These include filling the
void, articulating questions, discovering identity, embracing all of
life and providing a safe space to work with pain.
Drawing upon the trends and characteristics of this generation, I
offer five attitudes that young adults may bring to spiritual direction
that are instructive for Guides to be mindful of when facilitating
positive interactions with Pilgrims. I conclude by offering suggestions
for future research that will enhance the exposure and experience of
spiritual direction for the young adult population.
Susan Campbell BA, Dip. Ed, Grad. Dip. Th. (Spiritual Direction) is
the National Young Adults Consultant for Global Interaction (Baptist
cross-cultural mission agency)
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