Viewpoint: Christadelphians and young people

By Phynnodderee

One of the main reasons why the Christadelphian community is in decline is the fact that it is failing to retain its young people. There are many reasons why people leave the community, but is there something that makes it specifically unappealing to young people? And are there reasons why a young person should think carefully before committing?


Style of worship
Let’s start with the general atmosphere in the meetings. The Victorian origins of the Christadelphian community are still very much in evidence, with many ecclesias maintaining an atmosphere of stiff, even wooden formality. Informality is mistakenly confused with irreverence or lack of seriousness. The unofficial dress codes reflect the norms of the early or mid-twentieth century, when suits were the everyday attire for men, skirts or dresses for women, and jeans nothing more than practical workwear, never seen on Sundays. Many Christadelphians still insist on reading nothing other than the King James Bible, and the sound of its ponderous, antiquated phrases mingles with some frankly depressing Victorian hymns to produce a style of worship that is not likely to appeal to young people.

As well as being stiffly old-fashioned, the general atmosphere is stern and emotionless – joy and exuberance are frowned on. Yet joy and exuberance are innate qualities of the young. The mistake Christadelphians make is to assume that true faith cannot be joyful or expressive; that heartfelt emotion can never be dignified enough for worship.

Changing times, unchanging ideas
The Christadelphian community has a mostly conservative outlook and maintains a certain distance from the rest of the world. This results in a lack of awareness and understanding of the issues facing today’s world, and a tendency to resort to outdated narratives which are unsatisfying to young, intelligent, informed minds. The times change, but the thinking doesn’t.

Young people naturally revolutionise and remake the world. But in Christadelphia, rebellion and revolution are simply not on. You accept the status quo, or you leave. Christ is at the door, and the Christadelphian’s duty is to preach the word and remain steadfast in the faith in these last days – not engage with the issues of the day and come up with new ideas in response.

Defeatism vs optimism
I submit that Christadelphianism is essentially defeatist. Christadelphians believe that the world is hopelessly evil and careering towards inevitable destruction. They believe that God’s plan to get rid of evil is to kill everyone (except a chosen few). This is, to put it mildly, a rather defeatist point of view. We are so inherently evil and incapable of saving ourselves or each other that the only thing to be done is to wipe us out. That’s how hopeless the human situation is.

I suggest that most young people would only readily accept a view like this if trained to believe it from an early age. Youthful optimism automatically wants to try and improve things and build a better world. Christadelphia, on the other hand, is based on a cynical view of humanity and its future. It’s no surprise that many young people choose instead an outside world where idealism and wanting to make a positive difference are no crime.

Life before death
The focus of the Christadelphian faith is on the soon return of Christ, and consequently Christadelphians tend to downplay the importance of this life – including the opportunity for personal fulfilment and the opportunity (indeed responsibility) to be of service to others.

In terms of one’s personal life, young people have been dissuaded from entering higher education and developing their full potential. Advice on education, careers, and life generally is given by an out-of-touch community whose primary concern is with moulding young people to carry on the tradition, not encouraging individual development. As for serving others, there has traditionally been a reluctance to participate in any kind of activity that might actually make a long-term difference to human suffering. This has its roots in the views of Dr John Thomas, who attached little importance to any kind of ‘social gospel’. By contrast, young people today are more likely to see themselves as global citizens with a responsibility to their fellow humans.

Loss of freedom
Finally, my primary concern with regard to young people is that joining the Christadelphians is likely to place considerable constraints on an individual’s life. It involves surrendering a degree of freedom to make your own decisions – from choice of career to choice of marriage partner. Consider carefully whether you are happy for other people – no matter how kind or well-intentioned – to make these important decisions for you. As a member of an ecclesia, then depending on how strict the ecclesia is, your conscience may never be fully your own: ecclesias consider themselves to have the right to criticise individual behaviour and mete out discipline where appropriate. In some ecclesias you may also be expected to fall in with the views of the most dominant members, even if these views seem to you unreasonable or ill-informed.

The poet A. E. Housman wrote: “Now, of my threescore years and ten/Twenty will not come again.” When you’re young, all of life is spread out before you with its endless possibilities. Don’t let them tell you this life doesn’t matter. Don’t let them tell you it’s a waste of time to pursue happiness in this world – your own, and that of others. Decide for yourself what constitutes a life well spent.

Looking ahead
Can Christadelphians make their faith attractive to young people again? Only time will tell. But if the current mindset continues, I believe the community will continue to dwindle away as its young people seek a better and more meaningful life elsewhere.