S4 - E2: Gen Z in a Post-World Everything
S4: Gen Z in a Post-Everything World
E2: Existence of Good, Evil, and a Loving Go
I recently heard a Jewish academic tell a story while listening to a popular podcast:
“A Jewish survivor of the Holocaust died and went to heaven. God was there to meet him with loving arms. The Jewish man ran into the arms of God and poured out his heart about the Holocaust. God replied, ‘I don’t know what you are talking about’, to which the Jewish man said, ‘You would if you had been there!’”
It’s not a joke. It was (and still is) one of the biggest conundrums in the Jewish/Christian history. If God is loving, why did He appear passive towards The Final (Jewish) Solution? Why didn’t the ground open up and swallow the proponents of this evil like the sons of Korah (Numbers 16:20-35)? Why didn’t fire consume these evil men like the prophets of Baal (1 Kings 18:16-45)? Or, why didn’t the Nazi Party simply drop dead like Ananias and Sapphira (Acts 5:1-11)?
This conundrum has not gone away. Gen Z wrestle with it today, not only in the context of the Holocaust but many other historical and recent atrocities. We see this in the removal of some Confederate memorials and monuments indicating Gen Z will not tolerate a celebration of what they perceive as evil. Even so, the conundrum pervades like a common threat in all aspects of life as a Gen Z student: “God, you would understand if you were there!”
Such a belief is what we call deism. It is the fundamental belief in God, but that God is uninvolved in the affairs of His creation. Well known deists include Leonardo da Vinci (1452-1519), Voltaire (1694-1778), Benjamin Franklin (1709-1790), Thomas Jefferson (1743-1865), Napoleon Bonaparte (1769-1821), Jules Vern (1828-1905), Mark Twain (1835-1910), and Neil Armstrong (1930-2012).
Deism allows for a loving God to appear passive towards the atrocities caused by human beings, and even nature itself. Is this the only answer for Gen Z in their conundrum? I think a deeper look at a Gen Z will help formulate a better response to the puzzlement over the Holocaust and other heinous behavior. To do this, we must consider the idea of truth.
Truth
For many in Gen Z, truth is relative at best, and at worst, it is unknowable.[1] In fact, a good number believe that it is not possible to know if God is actually real.[2] This would make Gen Z part deist and part agnostic (God cannot be known beyond creation). Remember, if communicating biblical truth is to become effective, the communicator must know who they dialogue with.
If this is the case, a reasonable conclusion would be that truth (for Gen Z) is unreal and what remains is simply facts making room for people to believe whatever they want, while at the same time, creating more room for those facts to change. It boils down to the old adage, “What is truth for someone else may not be truth for me.”
The significant marker for Gen Z to decide what is true (or factual) is the quality of being free from hypocrisy, pretense, or deceit. A singular word summarizes this value: sincerity. In very genuine ways, Gen Z are sincere about facts – albeit fluid facts – to support their beliefs.
Sincerity rules in social dimensions like inclusion, acceptance, tolerance, collectivism, individualism, spirituality, ethnicity and so much more. This is not surprising since Gen Z are ethnically the largest mix of white, black, Hispanic, Asian, and others more than any preceding generation.
If sincerity rules, it is also understandable that Gen Z tend to view all aspects of life as intersecting roads. Values, language, family dynamics, traditions, money, education, religion, politics and so on. However, there are no stop or yield signs, no traffic lights, or any type of signpost at this complex intersection.
When truth is factually fluid, yesterday’s signpost has the potential to become obsolete. It was truth yesterday but is not truth today. The result is inevitably the clash or crash of right and wrong, with good and bad. It’s an ethical collision. Nevertheless, this inevitability can create a unique opportunity to communicate biblical truth. The intersection of everything creates opportunities for dialogue in diversity.
Dialogue in Diversity
Dialogue tends to slow things down. This is good. It changes the clash-crash into something constructive. Irene Cho from the Fuller Youth Institute has observed that code-switching takes place to accommodate the social situation Gen Z may find themselves in at any given moment in the intersection.[3]
Language, behavior, gestures, and mannerisms quickly adapt to fit the situation. This code-switching enables open dialogue between diverse cultures. Remember, that Gen Z represents the most diverse mix of culture compared to all the preceding generations.
Now, can you see how this works with truth based on fluid facts? A Gen Z student can be one type of person to fit one group and another person to fit another group. The outcome of this adaption is a disconnect in priority. The disconnect is seen between God and truth that Gen Z prioritize with fluid facts, and God and truth that church is currently prioritizing.
I am not suggesting for a single minute that churches define truth in fluid facts rather than a thorough exegesis of Scripture. I am suggesting that churches recognize that Gen Z see truth as something unreal preferring simple facts that make room for people to believe whatever they want, while at the same time, creating more room for those facts to change.
Don’t be alarmed at this suggestion. Jesus frequently challenged the “facts” that people held to in the Bible. We see this in three ways:
Jesus Challenged Business as Usual
The temple officials were running a racket. It had become “business as usual” in his day (John 2:13-16). This was not a one-time challenge. We also see that a man called Zacchaeus changed his business practices because Jesus challenged the facts (Luke 19:1-10). Then, Jesus turned to the wealthy and challenged them through the example of a camel going through the eye of a needle (Matthew 19:24); the rich (Matthew 19:16-30); and, even tycoons (Matthew 26:24).
As we read these examples in the Bible, we clearly see there is nothing wrong with money or the good that can be done through wealth. What we do see in Gen Z is a fluid fact that money will solve all problems and bring a sense of self-worth. This needs to be challenged.
Jesus Challenged Religion as Usual
Interestingly, Jesus never actually broke an existing law in his day. Jesus railed against religion that enslaved people by prioritizing the law above loving God and your neighbor (Matthew 22:36-40). So, Jesus healed people on the Sabbath saying, “The Sabbath was made for people, and not people for the Sabbath” (Mark 2:27). Also, there were multiple run-ins with the Pharisees as they accused him of associating with “sinners, tax collectors, and prostitutes” (Mark 2:13-17).
Again, reading the examples in the Bible we see that Jesus challenged the fluid facts of the religious elite. It was love for God and neighbor that became a priority. The skill of communicating biblical truth to Gen Z is to add to the sincere love of neighbor with an equally sincere love of God, who enables us to love our neighbor. Another challenge.
Jesus Challenged Politics as Usual
Our American political system is complex. However, the system in Jesus’ day makes ours look like a walk in the park. There was Jewish law, then there was Roman law overarching Jewish law, much like a collision of State and Federal law on steroids. However, people gathered to hear Jesus because he taught about a new thing called the Kingdom of God. Was it really possible that a God-ordained king would be in charge? And, was that Jesus? Even Pilate asked Jesus if He was the king. Jesus replied, “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36).
Once more, Jesus challenged a fluid fact that Jewish Independence was the Kingdom of God where Jewish law would be the Constitution. It was certainly not. Interestingly, among the disciples of Jesus, Peter was a Zealot looking for a political answer. He found something quite different, “Feed my lambs, and take care of my sheep” (John 21:16-17).
There are many atrocities within the shores of the United States that include business, religion, and politics. Gen Z are sincere about the social implications. Though life intersects for Gen Z in every possible way, it is an opportunity for the church to recognize how they do life together, adapting and changing. Facts needn’t be fluid. Facts can support truth, and truth can be understood in the person of Christ. Perhaps Gen Z – more than any other generation – have a better understanding of “whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:45).
If so, Gen Z would never say to God, “You would understand if you had been there!”. He was, in the least of our brothers and sisters that surround us every day.
Post your thoughts about this blog, I really want to know.
[1] Gen Z: The Culture, Beliefs and Motivations Shaping the Next Generation (Barna Group and Impact 360), 2018.
[2] Ibid.
[3] Andrew K. Fox. Experiencing the Body and Blood of Christ: Communicating Biblical truth to Late Millennials and Gen Z”. (Oxford Publishers), 2020.