conjectural navel gazing; jesus in lint form

I found this interesting:

One official put it this way: "A lot of parishes say, 'We want younger people'--except that younger people bring new ideas and that is what they do not want. They want to incorporate younger people so that they can teach them the ways of the old school."

Although I think I understand the nature of the complaint, isn't it a fact that it is the older generation whose task it is to pass on the Tradition? Sure the young can come up with new great ideas, but if it contradicts the Tradition . . . Not everything new is Christian.

How did I know you were going to hear it that way?

I think it is purely about news ways of worship etc. It is not necessarily about unorthodox theologies. Is it a job of the older generation to uphold Tradition? Sure, if they are doing that in the first place. "That may be in an incorrect assumption." says the man whose church still has an American flag in the sanctuary because removing it would offend the older generation.

This article is not speaking of the EOC more than likely.

Tripp:

I did try to forestall the "oh, he's just the EOC guy" with my "Although I think I understand . . ." still, I can guess that others would not read me that way.

I do think you're right that it is more about the wrong sorts of traditions, and to the extent that the young come in and "set the ol' folks right" with a return to the Tradition, then, of course, that's well and good.

On the other hand, I think there does need to be a default paradigm in which the young (myself included, I hope!) defer to the wisdom of the older. That's the whole attitude that we yung'un's ought to have. Instead, we generally think we have the "new voice of the Spirit" and so generally think the newer is usually better. Many times, it can be argued, we are perhaps right. On the other hand, when I look around at some of the chaos we "yung'un's" have unleashed on the modern church, is it any wonder the older folks tend to want to circle the wagons?

So, sure, get rid of the flag in the auditorium, if you desire. Quit worrying about whether we always have twelve committees or two. Okay. But for the young to start in with changing the language of worship, to institute new paradigms of leadership, and to question traditional dogmas, there I think we ought to be told to first listen and understand, then speak.

True enough. Sorry if I did not give you enough credit.

Throwing the baby out with the bathwater is a problem.

Your wish is the Librarian's command. The report is online here.