“MTD” is short-hand for “moral therapeutic deism.” It’s the term adopted by Kenda Creasy Dean, a professor at Princeton and author of the book Almost Christian. She argues that more and more young people in Christian churches are embracing a watered-down, not really Christian faith that doesn’t reject basic Christian beliefs, but doesn’t encourage them either. Instead MTD affirms that “God” created the world and is available to help you feel better when you’re down...but otherwise stays out of the way. God wants us to be nice and happy. The God of MTD says that good people go to heaven. That’s about all there is to it. And while these might be common assumptions about Christianity, they certainly aren’t the rich historic claims of the faith passed down through the ages.
So why are kids embracing this wimpy version of the faith? Maybe it’s because the Church doesn’t take their faith development seriously enough.
Consider: How often do the adults in charge bend over backwards to get the kids to tutors, coaches, practices, and games to make sure that they learn or even excel in everything from algebra to dance to hockey? Yet the name of the game for religion is usually just to “expose” kids to faith...and hope they soak something up. Far from the radical commitments of the first disciples, we often assume that the kids are doing OK if they make a few good friends at youth group, have fun at camp, learn how to be nice, and avoid drugs and premarital sex.
So...what do we do about this? I don’t think we know for sure. Some researchers are seeing a new passion among young people who want a faith that matters in a world that seems so off balance. Others worry about a decline in Christianity in this country that will bring faith practices here to the same low levels seen in Europe for decades. While I’m glad to hear about that new passion, I’m concerned that failing faith is the more likely outcome. Some action seems appropriate.
And a place to start might be with an examination of our own faith as adults. Do we understand for ourselves why the Christian faith makes any real difference in our lives or in the world? We could probably define concepts like “nice” and “good”...but what about “grace” or “discipleship”? Add to this the fact that more and more of us adults grew up outside the Church or on the same watered-down version of the faith. Plus, those who are supposed to be in charge of spiritual formation (clergy-types like me and lay leaders, too), have not always done a very good job of teaching and modeling the faith either.
So...now what?
Call me a cock-eyed optimist, but I truly believe that, at least in our own little corner of the world, we and the Holy Spirit can make a difference. So here’s a deal. I promise that you will hear the Good News of Jesus Christ and that you will have the opportunity to learn and grow in the faith every time you come here on Sunday morning (and Wednesday evening, for that matter). Grace will (continue to) be a place where the faith is clearly and enthusiastically taught and lived for adults and youth and children alike.
For your part: you need to be here...ready to worship and learn and grow...ready to make our shared faith a living priority. I have no doubt that, in so doing, our kids will grow stronger right along with us.
The assumption here, of course, is that the faith of our young people is important to us. I’m going to make that assumption because I have seen in you (talking to the folks at Grace here) an innate desire to give your children the very best you can. And what could be better than a sturdy, working faith in the God who calls and sends each new generation into the world with the Gospel. We can do better; MTD is not good enough. This is an opportunity, brothers and sisters. Let’s seize it.
(Thanks to Jay McDivitt, a pastor at Grace Lutheran Church in Thiensville, WI, for the meat of this article.)
