“The Millennial Generation and the Adventist Church” – Meredith Jones-Gray
Date: February 21, 2015
Speaker: Panel of six members from Andrews University
Positions: Dr. Meredith Jones Gray, moderator, Chair, English Department; Dr. Kurt Vanderwaal, Chair, Social Work Department; Dr. Nancy Carbonell, Associate Professor, Graduate Psychology and Counseling; Dr. Jan Age Sigvartsen, Adjunct Professor, Old Testament, SDA Theological Seminary; Leanne Sigvartsen, co-author, Beyond Beliefs I; Alisa Williams, Annual Giving Coordinator, Office of Development & Spectrum on-line Spirituality Editor
Topic: “The Millennial Generation and the Adventist Church”
Venue: Chan Shun Hall
Attendance: 61
Presentation: The 95,000,000 U.S. Millennials (born 1982-2003) are a racially diverse, best-educated, most tech savvy, media involved, individualistic, tolerant generation of multi-taskers & team players. They are less religious, more in debt, more distrustful of authority, more optimistic than their Baby Boomer parents, but also more spiritual. As SDAs they question old positions, care about social causes, give generously, value authenticity, are eclectic in musical & artistic tastes, value social networks, pray & study their Bibles, support the 28 Fundamental Beliefs (especially Sabbath & Creationism), but dislike judgmentalism & mistreatment of LGBTQ’s & women (they are pro-ordination).
Michiana Adventist Forum 