by G. D. Andreano
The Hope of the Future
Even though there are many ways to critique the structure of Protestantism, I am hopeful for the future.
The millennial generation is in a particular place in time, and that created a collective search for truth. With the rise of the internet, no prior generation has ever had a greater potential to be informed. This includes being informed about Church History, theology, and tradition.
Millennials are leaving Evangelical Protestantism. Some of that group represents people who are leaving religion altogether, because they have discovered these same problems with the Evangelical Protestantism that they’ve inherited, and have not searched for an alternative.
However, there is a lesser known demographic of millennials who are leaving Evangelicalism in favor of more traditional forms of Christianity (whether that be Orthodoxy, Catholicism, or Anglicanism). Millennials want authentic roots, but without baggage. Millennials are tired of the perpetual division within the fragmenting Protestant denominationalism, and long for true unity.
I see a generation of young Protestant pastors who are starting to dive into patristics to learn true Christian theology. I also see Protestant news outlets like Christianity Today posting more and more articles about the Church Fathers. I see an increasing desire for dialogue between Protestants, Catholics, and the Orthodox. Unity among Christians first begins with an informed public, and this is where Christian millennials are naturally gifted.
Therefore, even though I am no longer Protestant, I am waiting in anticipation to see how the future of American Christianity unravels.
When I was using the lobby computers in the hotel, I noticed there were a bunch of people like me at the other stations. They seemed intrigued about what they were reading, so as I was leaving the hotel, I glanced over a shoulder to see what captivated their attention. I could not see too much, but what I did see on my way out put a smile on my face as the automatic doors closed behind me.
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