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Why are churches full of old people stuck in their ways?

This is a dilemma for me. In the mid sixties there were few people attending church in their twenties. But there was a wide range of ages. The services moved on in the sixties with the middle aged Christian’s taking the lead.

So where have these old Christians locked in the past come from? Because they were not there in their youth?

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Cyclist · 41-45, M

The fact that in Europe churches are empty and many are being converted into other uses is a sign of the evolution of humanity. The farther we are from believing in mythology the better off we are. We can either believe in the myths we call religion, or we can believe in reality. Being footed in reality helps us solve our problems and advance towards a more equitable, sustainable, prosperous, and peaceful future. Religion makes us grow as a divided species, warring against each other.

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NativePortlander1970 ·

@Cyclist Religion teaches only one thing, blindly following their tennants in loyal subjugation, leaders that do not adhere to those tennants only shows they do not practice them, am I not correct @Random3838 ?

Random3838 · 36-40, M

@NativePortlander1970 no, your not correct.

NativePortlander1970 ·

@Random3838 And just how am I not correct

Persephonee · 22-25, F

You'll find a very broad mixture of Christians of all ages, both grandparents and families with young children and everyone in between, in two sorts of church, in my experience:

1) Those Catholic (predominantly) churches which treat the Sacraments with the degree of joyful solemnity they deserve (not exclusively ones that celebrate many masses according to the traditional [Latin] form, but that's often an indicator), and also 'high' Anglican/Episcopalian churches;

2) Very lively evangelical churches (which again includes some 'low' Anglican/Episcopalian ones).

Every church has both young and old members but the ones that seem to have a full cross-section of society tend to be in one of those two groups. At least in the UK, they're largely the only parts of Christianity which are actually growing.

SW-User

@Persephonee But the point Im making is that the old men and women who are killing rural Anglican churches were not actually there in their youth.
So where have their ideas come from!

Persephonee · 22-25, F

@SW-User Oh I see. Well one suggestion I'd have is that they're retirees from elsewhere of course. What do you mean by killing the churches?

Baremine · 70-79, C

The fear of the Lord is the BEGINNING of wisdom.
Maybe over the years the teachings a young child had begin to make sense in their golden years. You look back and see how God as been in your life. You begin to realize how much you need God and how helpless you are.
God is very real. The end of this world is near. Bible prophecy is being fulfilled every day. We are trying to bring about a new world order, one world government, the Antichrist is coming to power. Are you ready to meet Almighty God, Jesus Christ.
He is coming back not as Savior but as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He will judge the world. Are you ready? Has your pride gotten in the way of your salvation?

There is always a remnant that trust in God. They realize they are helpless to save themselves and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and have faith in what He did for them on the Cross at Calvary. It is no myth.

SW-User

@Baremine OK it’s a just an insurance policy for old people , so they can go to heaven when they die!

Nothing to do with Christianity.

Baremine · 70-79, C

@SW-User has all to do with Christianity. Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved.

Matt85 · 36-40, M

If you go to a "happy clappy" church, you'll find there are people there of all ages.

BritishFailedAesthetic · M

@Matt85 Exactly my wife and I go to a church with tons of services and mostly young- it is a bible church but the lame stream media doesn't show it here.

SW-User

@BritishFailedAesthetic I hope not in Watford though! And look carefully where your money goes.

Elle Hardy gives a good overview of the Pentecostal movement in her ‘Beyond Belief’.

robingoodfellow · M

I don't attend church. But everyone I know who does regularly are young/middle aged people stuck in their ways.

Sevendays · M

One of the many reasons I'm not s fan if organized religion. That being said I go to a progressive Christian church and enjoy it.

Fluffybull · F

A lot of older, lonely people go to church as a social thing, not just for religious reasons.

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SW-User

@Fluffybull May I ask which part of the country you are in?

Fluffybull · F

@SW-User I've lived in loads of areas in Scotland and England, so don't judge based on one tiny area. Churches now have to diversify in order to survive and are a combination of centre of worship, community centre, youth centre, source of food banks, friendship cafés, support groups for the community, etc.

SW-User

@Fluffybull But why,why 1662 Holy Communion. How is that relevant?

I challenge too the congruency between Christianity and community.

Random3838 · 36-40, M

My church is full of young and old people. However, people find God at all stages of life. The older you get, the wiser you get. Young people tend to thinknthey know everything until they realize they dont and cant do things on their own.

Cyclist · 41-45, M

@Random3838 it is fortunate that people are “finding God” at older ages. That way less of their life is wasted living a fiction.

Fairydust · F

You’ve been to a lot of churches 🤣

SW-User

Are they? I haven't been in one lately. I only seem to be in them for weddings, funerals etc - then they seem more full of people who can't wait to get out!

😀

SW-User

@SW-User Vicars and Tarts perhaps?

SW-User

@SW-User More often just common or garden people.

jackrabbit10 · M

they know there are going to die soon don wont to go to hell,going to church may help stay out,,

SW-User

@jackrabbit10 So why do 1662 services help them? And they resent change.

An insurance policy then. Not a faith in the Living God.

jackrabbit10 · M

@SW-User just the was old people are cant change there ways,

SW-User

@jackrabbit10 But these antiquated services were not around in their youth or twenties.Series Two was introduced in 1966, and no one hankered back to 1662.

The simple answer is they cling to an age that never was.
In their youth they never went to church, or had a clue what was actually happening there.

BritishFailedAesthetic · M

[quote] Why are old Anglican churches with liberal theology full of old people stuck in their ways [/quote]

There we go, fixed the title for you.

SW-User

@BritishFailedAesthetic
Sadly no.

What is emerging in my mind now is that there is three way split in Anglican Christianity.

But I think you have added a fourth.

So, me summarise them.

There are the village churches full of old people who were never their in their youth, but see it as an insurance policy so they can go to heaven when they die.

Then, there are the Pentecostal outreach churches which focus on young people and young families, drawing in congregations of more than five hundred.

Thirdly there are the Liberal Inclusive Anglocatholic churches, which focus on the Eucharist and prayer.

And now lastly the gospel according to woke brigade, lead by various bishops and bishopesses, which try to penetrate the above.

So it boils down to where you are now, in your relationship with the Living God.

For me personally, I don’t sit in the first or last camp. But I know many who do.

SW-User

Whoops, Christianity is supposed to change you.😓

SW-User

Like Watford!

SW-User

@SW-User Mike Pilivachi

☹️

This message was deleted by its author.

SW-User

@LadyGrace Grace, this is a question aimed at the use of the 1662 Prayerbook for worship in the Church of England.. In the nineteen sixties this was thrown out and the services were in modern English.

Now they have reverted to this archaic form.

I can’t believe people actually pray using this language.

LadyGrace

@SW-User oh I see. I don't know much about that but what difference does it make if people still want to use that prayer book? I'm thinking let them use the prayer book and then have the other prayer book in the service as well? I guess you're right about being stuck in their ways. I guess they miss it. Maybe they could use both translations in the service for those who don't want to use the old?

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