by Margaret Evans, Director of Lifespan Learning
Rebellion is an evil word often attributed to teenagers who are struggling to achieve some level of independence. It’s a curious word because it can be utilized in both a positive or negative light. I suppose its attribution depends on which side of the argument one stands.
Coming of Age is an enormously formative program which recognizes a youth’s progression towards young adulthood and teen years. Unlike many other programs, it is designed to allow freedom and choice for religious and spiritual beliefs and yet it is offered at a time in life when youth are most resistant (or dare I say “rebellious”) to their parents’ and elders’ ways. This program is an attempt to empower them into their own spiritual journey while hoping not to alienate them from ‘church’.
I believe this is all a part of the intricacies of the cycle of life. We may not see youth return to church after Coming of Age for decades, but at some point, the character traits they learned will begin to manifest. Not all will recognize where those traits came from, but that does not matter.
Have you considered lately why you choose to attend Neighbourhood? What is it that keeps you here? How might you be able to share that reason with the Coming of Age youth?
Read Rebel with a Cause: Rebellion in Adolescence (http://tinyurl.com/qfzevyw) from “Psychology Today”. This is a fascinating look at the reasons and responses for rebellion at different ages.
A good book, mentioned in the above article, is Frank Sulloway’s Born to Rebel (1997). Some fabulous Coming of Age movies are; The Breakfast Club (1985), Boyhood (2014), and (my personal favourite) Ferris Bueller’s Day Off (1986).