Research + News

Coming-of-Age in a Recession Can Shake Faith

34251An article for Christianity Today’s “Her-meneutics” suggests that “Millennials’ unstable careers and changing identities make it harder to see God’s direction.” Journalist Alicia Cohn writes:

“Four years out of college, I was laid off for the first time this year. I wasn’t particularly surprised or distraught, since it’s become such a common experience (particularly in my field of work), but it did feel like my hard work had proved fruitless. I decided to switch gears in my career, and in many ways, it feels like I’m starting over. I worry that from the outside, the change makes me look unfocused and flighty…

The instability of today’s economy contributes to that sense of constant distraction older generations accuse us of, our indiscriminate texting and the delayed commitments. We are a generation establishing ourselves on shifting sand. We undergo a continual identity crisis as we switch jobs and careers, move cross-country for a shot at a “better economy,” face exhaustion from keeping an eye on job boards even with a full-time job, and deal with the constant pressure to learn new skills on our own time just to stay ahead of the downturn.”

Read the full article here.