Intergenerational Research: Reports & Books

Reports

Bringing the Generations Together: Support from Learning Theory
Holly Catterton Allen

Is there any evidence to suggest that intergenerational religious experiences are especially beneficial for faith and spiritual development in children? And, if so, why might intergenerational religious experiences contribute significantly to children’s faith journeys Holly Catterton Allen addresses the role of learning theory in intergenerational experiences by examining: (a) definitions of intergenerational concepts, (b) an overview of existing research that examines the effects of intergenerational Christian experiences, and (c)  scriptural support for intergenerational community.

Communion across Generations: The Challenge & Promise of Inter-generational Dialogue
Patricia Wittberg

In this presentation, Patricia Wittberg describes the characteristics of Catholic Millennials (and younger Gen Xers) and the importance of and possibilities for engaging in cross-generational conversations aimed at increasing an understanding of generational cultures within the Catholic Church and eliminating the stereotypes generations have of each other. Her suggestions can apply to all denominations. (CatholicCommonGround.orG)

An Ecumenical Study of Lifelong Faith Formation
 Joan Weber

This project was designed to discover effective practices, new insights, and key challenges in lifelong faith formation across denominations; learn about what congregations are doing to provide faith formation in intergenerational, the age-specific setting, and family settings; and review effective models for lifelong faith formation, which are being implemented in congregations.

From Generation to Generation: A Case Study on Factors in the Family and Faith Community Impacting Faith Development
Kathie Amidei 

Kathie Amidei presents a summary of a unique research study she did with a large Catholic church that has both a Catholic school and an intergenerational-family faith formation program. Her research explores the perceptions of parents about the factors that impact their own and their families’ faith formation. The results are sometimes affirming of what we already know and other times quite surprising.

Intergenerational Faith Formation Today: It’s Impact and Sustainability
Jim Merhaut

This article reports on a very recent survey completed by experienced intergenerational practitioners in churches around the country. The survey reveals the most important practices that churches do in order to sustain intergenerational faith formation over time. The survey also identified the significant challenges for the future of intergenerational ministries.

Books

Christian Education Journal: Intergenerational Ministry
Series 3, Volume 9.1, Spring 2012

There is great potential for faith development in intergenerational settings, but it is not always easy to know how to make this work for the benefit of all ages. The “Special Focus” of this issue of the journal looks at the potential, power, and promise of intergenerational ministry in the church.

1. Our Future is Intergenerational - John Roberto
   
2. Intergenerationality: Biblical and Theological Foundations - Allan G. Harkness
   
3. Four Congregations that Practice Intergenerationality - Christine M. Ross
   
4. Growing Disciples in Community - Kathleen Beagles
   
5. Implementing Intergenerational Youth Ministry - Brenda Snailum 

Order from Biola University: http://journals.biola.edu/cej/volumes/9/issues/1

Families and Faith: How Religion is Passed Down Across Generations
Vern L. Bengston with Norella M. Putney and Susan Harris (Oxford, 2013)

Few things are more likely to cause heartache to devout parents than seeing their child leave the faith. And it seems, from media portrayals, that this is happening more and more frequently. But is religious change between generations common? How does religion get passed down from one generation to the next? How do some families succeed in passing on their faith while others do not? Families and Faith: How Religion is Passed Down across Generations seeks to answer these questions and many more. For almost four decades, Vern Bengtson and his colleagues have been conducting the largest-ever study of religion and family across generations. They have followed more than 350 families composed of more than 3,500 individuals whose lives span more than a century - the oldest was born in 1881, the youngest in 1988 - to find out how religion is, or is not, passed down from one generation to the next. What they found may come as a surprise: despite enormous changes in American society, a child is actually more likely to remain within the fold than leave it, and even the nonreligious are more likely to follow their parents' example than to rebel. And while outside forces do play a role, the crucial factor in whether a child keeps the faith is the presence of a strong fatherly bond. Mixing unprecedented data with gripping interviews and sharp analysis, Families and Faith offers a fascinating exploration of what allows a family to pass on its most deeply-held tradition - its faith.

• Interview with Vern Bengtson - "Religion Runs in the Family"

Generations Together: Caring, Praying, Learning, Celebrating, and Serving Faithfully
Kathie Amidei, Jim Merhaut, and John Roberto (LifelongFaith Associates, 2014)

Faith is transmitted from generation to generation in extended families and intergenerational congregations. Every congregation can discover its intergenerational heart and soul, and become an intentionally intergenerational community that nurtures the faith of all ages and equips them for living as disciples of Jesus Christ in our world today. Generations Together presents the vision of a congregation that is becoming more intentionally intergenerational through its congregational life of caring, celebrating, learning, prayer, and serving. When a congregation commits itself to building a culture of intergenerationality through these five elements, each element becomes a sign of and instrument for the full experience of the Body of Christ by all ages and generations. Generations Together guides leaders in learning what this vision looks like in practice and how to guide a congregation in envisioning and designing projects and initiative to become more intentionally intergenerational. Chapters include: 1. Generations Together: A Vision of an Intergenerational Church, 2. Faith Development from Generation to Generation, The Journey to Intergenerationality: One Church’s Story, 4. Outcomes and Practices of Intergenerational Faith Formation, 5. A Toolkit for Becoming Intentionally Intergenerational, 6. Welcoming All: Intergenerational Faith Formation for People with Disabilities, and 7. Leadership for an Intergenerational Church. 

Intergenerational Christian Formation: Bringing the Whole Church Together in Ministry, Community and Worship
Holly Catterton Allen and Christine Lawton Ross (IVP Academic, 2012)

Most churches and faith communities segment their ministries by age and generation. The kids go to children’s church, the teens go to youth group. Worship services are geared toward different generational preferences, and small groups gather people at the same life stage, whether singles, young marrieds, parents or empty nesters. In some congregations, people may never interact with those of other ages.But it was not always so. Throughout biblical tradition and the majority of history, communities of faith included people of all ages together in corporate worship, education and ministry. The church was not just multigenerational; it was intergenerational, with the whole church together as one family and people of all ages learning from one another in common life. In this comprehensive text, Holly Allen and Christine Ross offer a complete framework for intentional intergenerational Christian formation. They provide the theoretical foundations for intergenerationality, showing how learning and spiritual formation are better accomplished through intergenerational contexts. It is not just elders teaching youth; learning also takes place when adults discover fresh insights from children. Then the authors give concrete guidance for intergenerational praxis on how worship, learning, community and service can all be achieved intergenerationally. Case studies of intergenerational congregations provide models for how a culture of intergenerationality can be created in local churches.