Mike Gerson on the "Nones"

Mike Gerson, former Bush speech writer, has an article in today's WashPo that provides even more insight into Putnam's study. Gerson says, "The politicization of religion by the religious right, argues Putnam, caused many young people in the 1990s to turn against religion itself, adopting the attitude: 'If this is religion, I'm not interested.' The social views of this younger cohort are not entirely predictable: Both the pro-life and the homosexual-rights movement have made gains." But as I pointed out, all hope is not lost. In fact, there are signs for serious encouragement. Gerson continues on, "But Putnam regards the growth of the 'nones' as a spike, not a permanent trend. The young, in general, are not committed secularists. 'They are not in church, but they might be if a church weren't like the religious right. . . . There are almost certain to be religious entrepreneurs to fill that niche with a moderate evangelical religion, without political overtones." I might add, complete political disengagement on the part of church folk is not the answer. Although young people are not interested in a religious right or a religious left, they are interested in seeing structural change and are savvy enough to realize structural change cannot preclude political involvement.

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