Evangelical pollster George Barna (whose research on Catholics was discussed in these precincts a few months back), has released a new study of attitudes of young adults toward Christianity. Here are a couple of interesting excerpts from the Barna press release:
The study shows that 16- to 29-year-oldsexhibit a greater degree of criticism toward Christianity than didprevious generations when they were at the same stage of life. In fact,in just a decade, many of the Barna measures of the Christian imagehave shifted substantially downward, fueled in part by a growing senseof disengagement and disillusionment among young people. For instance,a decade ago the vast majority of Americans outside the Christianfaith, including young people, felt favorably toward Christianitysrole in society. Currently, however, just 16% of non-Christians intheir late teens and twenties said they have a "good impression" ofChristianity....
One of the groups hit hardest by the criticism isevangelicals. Such believers have always been viewed with skepticism inthe broader culture. However, those negative views are crystallizingand intensifying among young non-Christians. The new study shows thatonly 3% of 16 - to 29-year-old non-Christians express favorable viewsof evangelicals. This means that todays young non-Christians are eighttimes less likely to experience positive associations towardevangelicals than were non-Christians of the Boomer generation (25%)....
Interestingly, the study discovered a new imagethat has steadily grown in prominence over the last decade. Today, themost common perception is that present-day Christianity is"anti-homosexual." Overall, 91% of young non-Christians and 80% ofyoung churchgoers say this phrase describes Christianity. As theresearch probed this perception, non-Christians and Christiansexplained that beyond their recognition that Christians opposehomosexuality, they believe that Christians show excessive contempt andunloving attitudes towards gays and lesbians. One of the most frequentcriticisms of young Christians was that they believe the church hasmade homosexuality a "bigger sin" than anything else. Moreover, theyclaim that the church has not helped them apply the biblical teachingon homosexuality to their friendships with gays and lesbians.
