Theology Day 2014: The Future of American Catholicism: Lessons from the Young Church

Document Type

Presentation

Streaming Media

Publication Date

2014

Abstract

Adults often have negative views of young people. This quote from 400 BC from Socrates still has a ring of truth in it: “Our youth now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority; they show disrespect for their elders and love chatter in place of exercise; they no longer rise when elders enter the room; they contradict their parents, chatter before company; gobble up their food and tyrannize their teachers.” Even though young people have been portrayed negatively through the centuries, there is another side to the coin. Young people have amazing gifts and talents. They have much to teach us. They are seeds of the future unfolding before our eyes. Over the last twenty years the Lilly Endowment has invested a hundred million dollars fostering the next generation of young leaders for church and society. This presentation will discuss the amazingly positive lessons learned from Lilly’s youth theology initiative and explore its implications for the future of American Catholicism. Time will also be spent reflecting on how these insights can impact our own children and grandchildren.

Jeffrey Kaster, Ed.D, is the Director of the Youth in Theology and Ministry Program for Saint John’s University School of Theology·Seminary and an adjunct professor of theology at Saint John’s University and the College of Saint Benedict. He also serves as the Coordinator of Lilly Youth Theology Network. Jeff completed a MA in scripture from Saint John’s School of Theology·Seminary in 1984 and a Doctorate of Education from the University of Minnesota in 2008.

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