A few weeks ago, Pew Research (www.pewresearch.org) released a study of people from 17 “advanced economies” from around the world. The study gave the results of an open-ended question about the meaning of life. You can find a summary of the study here: https://www.pewresearch.org/global/2021/11/18/what-makes-life-meaningful-views-from-17-advanced-economies/.
The countries included the U.S., Canada, a number of European countries, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand and focused on what makes life meaningful. In 14 of the 17 countries where people were surveyed, family claimed the top spot as source of meaning in the respondents’ lives, including here in the U.S. Some of the other top mentions were occupation, material well-being, friends, health and hobbies. What was striking to me was one important absence: faith. When describing what gave them meaning in life, the respondents only mentioned faith, spirituality and religion 2% of the time, leaving it in second to last place next to pets. In the U.S., faith did crack the top five (fifth behind family, friends, material well-being and occupation).
On one hand, this isn’t necessarily surprising: we’re becoming an increasingly secular society and so the fact the faith barely made the top five isn’t necessarily news. Europe, Canada and some of the other countries on the list are even more secularized and thus again, not terribly surprising to see faith valued so little. In the most affluent places in the world, faith, religion and spirituality are no longer seen as essentials to the human experience.
On the other hand, I find it interesting that the top two sources of meaning in the U.S. were family and friends. It’s somewhat ironic given that our culture is largely abandoning at least the traditional model of family while also struggling with increasing levels of isolation, loneliness and even polarization. Relationships still matter, people want to be loved, people want to belong, and people want to connect. There’s an echo and ache that runs all the way back to Eden: we weren’t made to be alone.
How does this help inform and shape our practice of ministry?
Angry rants and disappointment aren’t the right approach. Sure, we can lament the lack of appreciation for spiritual things, we can long for the days when things were different, we can lash out in our anger and disappointment about the way things are but that won’t help us beyond our own venting. God has placed us in this time and in this place and we’re called to live as his people here and now. I think much of the culture wars language of today misses the opportunity in front of us.
People are finding meaning in relationships, imperfect as they may be. People want to be connected. People want genuine relationship. We live in a place where many may not necessarily value our faith, but they do value genuine relationship. How is your congregation building relationship with your neighbors and fellow citizens?
No easy answers here. No silver bullets. No three-step solutions. In a society that’s increasingly unappreciative of spiritual reality, how do we faithfully represent Jesus to our neighbors and fellow citizens? Are we close enough to even have a chance? Who is the Lord calling you to connect with today?
Christ’s Peace,
Lance
CGGC eNews—Vol. 15, No. 49
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