Dudley, R. & Laurent, C. (1988). "Alienation from religion in church-related adolescents." Sociological Analysis, 49(4), 408-420.

OVERVIEW

There are a number of factors involved in the tendency among teenagers to reject institutional religion. The alienation which results might take the form of outright estrangement, or it might resolve in an emotional withdrawal that feels no sense of belonging. Resentment, calm detachment, quiet antagonism, or open hostility are all attitudes that the church, whether it realizes it or not, has some control over and a responsibility to address. According to the study, "The problem is a leading concern to parents and religious leaders since any faith group teeters just one generation from extinction."

DESIGN

Three hundred ninety high school students from American Baptist, United Methodist, and Wesleyan churches throughout the midwestern U.S. were randomly selected to complete the Youth Perceptual Inventory while attending three youth conferences held in 1985. Male and female respondents were evenly split, as was denominational affiliation. The vast majority of items comprising this inventory measured the level of agreement with particular statements on a scale of 1-5. Seventeen independent variables were examined in conjunction with the dependent variable of religious alienation in order to determine what correlation exists between the rejection of parental religion and the quality of relationship that adolescents have with their parents and with other religious authority figures. Seven of the independent variables dealt with familial issues, five concerned church leadership, two addressed doctrinal beliefs, and the remaining three scales were allocated one each to self-esteem, peer influence, and the media.

FINDINGS

• Although there was a wide range of responses, the mean score for alienation from religion was encouraging. Nevertheless, a considerable number of scores for these 22 items did show a high degree of alienation.
• All of the ensuing results represent a hierarchy of negative perceptions that correlate positively with an increased alienation from the church in particular and religion in general.
• Church involvement was clearly the most influential factor with respect to institutional abandonment, yielding a correlation coefficient of .64. Relationship with the pastor finished second at .49, while the perceived sincerity, authoritarianism, and personal interest of the pastor followed closely behind.
• Media influence, self-esteem, and peer pressure also proved significant, posting coefficients ranging from .48 to .41.
• Religious concepts and doctrinal beliefs were next in importance. Again, these scales are immediately related to the church as a direct function of its teaching ministry.
• Parental relations turned out to be the weakest group of factors, though still statistically significant.
• When multiple regression analysis was performed to test the unique influence of each variable in isolation from the others, the order of correlation presented above remained fairly static.

CONCLUSIONS

• Opportunity for involvement in the ministry of the church is crucial if teenage loyalty is to be retained.
• Adolescent perceptions of institutional religion dramatically impact their attitudes toward it. For religious authority figures to project a positive image of the faith they are modeling, accurate communication is essential.
• Boredom, irrelevance, and a lack of real community were found to be prime contributors to the alienation under study.
• Four of the five highest correlations revolved around church and pastoral relations. In contrast, seven out of the eight lowest positions were assumed by paternal variables associated with the home. Why the discrepancy? Perhaps the developmental theory of adolescent emancipation from parental control can provide some explanation as to why parents were identified as the least effective mediators of religious values. In any event, frustration over unrealized autonomy and independence need not be aimed at the church, if only church leaders can take advantage of the window of opportunity afforded them during this period of heightened relative influence.
• Given the relational bent of teenagers in general, it should come as no surprise that many young people determine truth experientially—through relationship. This speaks volumes to our ministerial approach.

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION AND DISCUSSION

1. To what extent do other cultures, particularly non-Western, suffer from this same phenomenon of successive generations testing the viability of those traditions which have been handed down to them?
2. To what extent is the problem of religious alienation in American churches simply a product of modern youth culture? What forces are at work here, and how might the situation be alleviated?
3. Think of ways in which teenagers can be incorporated as an integral part of the church body, rising above the ranks of passive benefactors to become active, effective participants.
4. Outline some specific measures by which the tremendous potential for relationship characterized by adolescent patterns of socialization may be fully realized. How can significant adults, both at home and the church, establish inter-generational friendships premised on open communication and mutual respect without surrendering the role of authority figure?
5. Why is it that so many youth today find the church boring and irrelevant? Are the allegations justified? What will it take to assuage them?

IMPLICATIONS

Church-related youth cannot continue as emotional orphans in the church. Assuming the causality of the correlates previously discussed, a promising strategy for breaking the cycle of religious alienation among adolescents is to involve them deeply in the life of the church, fostering the kind of environment whereby close and caring relationships may be built with one another.