What happens when ‘nones’ become parents?
Webinar series covers new research about ‘spiritual but not religious’ new parents
“In a world marked by rapid change and declining trust in institutions, the enduring value of faith and spirituality offers a beacon of hope and guidance,” writes the Rev. Dr. Lorenzo Lebrija, the executive director of the TryTank Research Institute, an initiative of Virginia Theological Seminary, in his introduction to a new research study on a new generation entering parenthood as religiously unaffiliated young adults. In the 20th century, parenting was a pathway back to faith for young adults who stopped attending in adolescence and their early 20s. But those trends have shifted as a whole generation of new parents have explicitly rejected institutional religion.
According to Lebrija, the Young Adult Parents Research Project asks what happens when the “'nones’ become parents.” The study offers practical data and insights into how congregations might shift their models when it comes to supporting the spiritual formation of families that fall into the intentionally unaffiliated.
“Holy Shift,” a new webinar series co-sponsored by the Around the Table initiative and the 1001 New Worshiping Communities of the PC(USA), takes up this question in three consecutive online gatherings grounded in the findings of the research project, which was done in partnership with the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America and TryTank Research Institute. The series will include three sessions in September.
The Young Adult Parents Research Project investigated the evolving role of religion and spirituality among parents in the United States ages 25–39, a group marked by increasing disaffiliation from organized religion. With more than 4,000 participants, the study provides insights into how religious identity and spirituality influence parenting decisions, values and engagement with faith institutions.
Each of the three sessions will take place from 1 to 2:30 p.m. Eastern time.
Session 1 (Sept. 4) will be hosted by the Rev. Neema Cyrus-Franklin, coordinator of Around the Table, as sociologist Dr. Josh Packard of the TryTank Research Institute presents findings and engages participants in the presentation.
Session 2 (Sept. 8) will be hosted by the Rev. Libby Hugus of Resonate Coaching as participants have the opportunity in large and small groups to start envisioning new ministries with young adult parents in their faith communities.
Session 3 (Sept. 23) will be a panel discussion of a variety of practitioners who have started new ministries that appeal to young parents, hosted by Hugus.
Register once for all three sessions.
Participants are invited to attend any or all of the sessions. A limited number of individual coaching sessions will be available to participants who attend at least two of the three sessions. A modified version of session one’s presentation will be available on the website for viewing after Sept. 4. To get the most out of each webinar through live discussion and engagement with the research, participants are encouraged to attend in real time.
The Young Adult Parents Research Project was co-sponsored by the 1001 New Worshiping Communities Movement of the PC(USA)’s Interim Unified Agency.
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