Religion and Spirituality Are Important to Many Teenagers
by Monica Budnichuk • Photo by John Harpring

  They have dates to go on, sports to play, parties to crash and clothes to buy. All while they’re text messaging their friends and listening to the music blaring through the iPod headphones jammed into their ears.
It’s a miracle most teenagers successfully complete all of the projects, homework assignments and tests required to graduate high school. So many things to do and worry about, yet so little time–time that’s not sufficient enough to sit down and remember what quietude entails.
   Oftentimes, it’s this very respite from the world that breeds meditation, that prompts one to mull over the aspects of a higher realm, of a kingdom to come. So, it makes you wonder: Do teens bother to acknowledge the spiritual facets of their being anymore? And, if so, do they spare the time to care about and nourish it?

Teens Seek Spiritual Outlets Despite Busy Lives
   According to Patricia Hendricks, author of Hungry Souls, Holy Companions: Mentoring a New Generation of Christians, it’s this noisy, chaotic and sometimes scandalous environment we live in that actually encourages adolescents, and even young people in their twenties, to explore their spirituality and religious affiliation.

Hendricks quotes Robert Ludwig and his book Reconstructing Catholicism for a New Generation:
“The breakup of family structure, business and political scandals, the materialistic ambiance of TV commercials…the rapid growth of theft and violent crime–all are symptomatic of the deconstructed world, which is the only world today’s young people have ever known.”
   What a world to know. And a troubling one at that. It’s these fragmented values and skewed methods of problem solving that lead our youth to feel scared, confused, helpless and hopeless. So, their curious, ambitious spirits kick in and they start to look for answers.
   “In the past several years, I have increasingly had teens with viable spirituality tell me about their wrestling with sundry national or international political action. I am heartened that many of these conflicted teens have delved into their faith traditions to find delineated instruction on such salient issues,” says Rev. Dr. Sid Gates, a local licensed marriage and family therapist and pastoral counselor in private practice. Also an ordained Presbyterian minister (PCUSA), Gates is a noted regional and national presenter on issues germane to spirituality and the behavioral sciences.

Teens Who Reject Religion May Turn and Seek a Higher Power
   As teens navigate this turbulent era, they can also scour the Internet and learn about, for example, the different Hindu deities. They can listen to Christian radio and ponder the source of these singers’ passions. They hear the term “jihad” trickle through the news and they might even be invited to attend a friend’s bat mitzvah. Unfortunately, this information-ridden and diverse culture can further complicate their notions of who they are, the world they live in and where it’s all going.
   “The young are fragile and uncertain about what to believe. They move quickly from a rejection of religion to a longing to have a relationship with God or Jesus,” says Hendricks.
   Ironically, one of the factors that play a role in drawing teens to explore religion–parents, celebrities, people in   power, professional athletes, etc.–can also aid in turning them away.
   “Parents and other people of authority who don't just tell their children how to live, but actually live it themselves, positively affects young adults the most. Conversely, when there are bad role models or when parents do not teach by example it has the most negative affect,” says Rabbi Zalman Fischer of Chabad Lubavitch synagogue in downtown Augusta.
   Fortunately, Rev. Dr. Gates is finding that this generation of teens is gradually becoming more discerning and purposeful in searching for spiritual connections than previous generations, who found incentives in simply following and belonging to a crowd. He observes that teens are seeking “more authentic spiritual rooting” and practices that allow and encourage deep-level thinking, inner peace, happiness, relationship building, hope and forgiveness.

Religious Activities Can Be Fun for Teens
   Seventeen-year-old John Richards, a senior at Greenbrier High School and an active participant in the youth programs at Wesley United Methodist Church in Evans, says that teens have so much to gain by immersing themselves into a religious community.
   “Youth ministries are fun, offer a chance to meet and interact with friends, provide a feeling of belonging and a gratifying sense of accomplishment,” he says. “They allow people of my generation to have a place where they can come and express their spiritual emotions if they feel insecure talking about  them in other settings.”
   According to John, the relationships he cultivates during his mission trips and various youth activities are different from the connections he makes with friends on sports teams or in other social settings. As he and his fellow youth group members become beacons of Christianity–living examples of faith in God and His importance in modern society. These teens commune on a higher plane, one where they feel a happiness and camaraderie that cannot be matched at a must-be-seen-at party or during a mall outing.
   “Mission trips help us focus on serving others and give us the chance to develop and intensify our faith. The teens often experience those in less fortunate circumstances, share and connect on a deeper level and learn that others have the same questions, struggles and concerns,” he says.

Parents’ Example Important as Kids Explore Spirituality
   It would be a mistake to overlook the weighty role that his parents Nan and Dr. Rick Richards have played in mentoring John. Whenever their children question or doubt their spirituality, Nan and Rick encourage them to explore what they are feeling.
   “Teens are hungry for spiritual nourishment and direction. Help them understand that their spiritual journey is just that–a journey. There will be valley and mountaintop experiences. This is the process of combining knowledge and experience, of gaining wisdom,” says Dr. Richards, who is also CEO of AWAC, LLC.
   In their experience, the Richards have found that their children require more than guidance and answers as they learn about what it means to be Christian. Youth need to physically see the spiritual odyssey as a 24-7 constant, not just as a Sunday morning event, the Richards say.
   In other words, teenagers need to see their parents set a positive example of what it means to be a diligent traveler of the spiritual road. When they see prayer and self-sacrifice in action and a willingness to talk about the spiritual in a non-condescending manner, adolescents can further appreciate, accept and understand the benefits of a religious environment.
   Not living what you believe, acting as though you have all the answers, not admitting to struggle–these are all factors that can contribute to a teen turning his or her back on religion or spiritual life, says Dr. Richards.
   “Never underestimate the power of a positive example,” says Rev. Dr. Gates. “If you want your adolescent to be about spiritual beliefs and behaviors that edify and bolster them, you should start with a reality check on your own spiritual beliefs and practices.”
   Along that vein, Rabbi Fischer cautions against putting an act on for teens. While it’s important to set a good example in their presence, it’s also crucial to live in the way of a given faith at all times. “Spend time with them, show them love and be a living example–even when young people are not nearby. If an adult leads a duplicitous life by being good only when younger people are around, teens will pick up on it and they will lose all respect for these adults,” he says.

Teen Interest in Spirituality Can Ebb and Flow
   It’s also important to remember that, no matter the religion, teens will be teens. They will question, sway back and forth, doubt and question some more. After all, adolescence in and of itself involves experimentation, coping with physical and emotional changes and attempts to understand individuality. Teens have much to grapple with and spirituality can just add to the mix, agitating it and calming it at the same time.
   If young people can find the patience to give it a chance, a sound spiritual belief system and a relationship with a community of believers can aid a teen immeasurably, says Rev. Dr. Gates.  
   Adds Dr. Richards, “Something constant, real and personal is a haven for the situational and emotional chaos that often occurs in their lives.”
 

MONICA BUDNICHUK is a graduate of USC-Aiken and an intern at Augusta Family and Augusta magazines. She enjoyed researching the topic of teen spirituality for the first time.

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