valuable, and beautiful, to offer the world.
The Church affiliation will deter some from attending, but it is by far
the most important reason why others do choose to attend. The “of the New
Church” part of the College’s name is of crucial importance.
(WEO)
teach the children!
What can we do to reverse the trend and bring more young adults into the
Church? Start early! Lay the groundwork in childhood for a life of religion that
will last into adulthood.
“Take heed . . . lest you forget the things your eyes have seen, and lest
they depart from your heart all the days of your life. And teach them to your
children and your grandchildren. (Deuteronomy 4:9)
In the current Theta Alpha Journal, Sarah Bruell Odhner goes right to the
heart of the matter in an article on how important it is for parents and teachers
to talk to children about their religion, and set an example by practicing it.
Quoting a famous sociologist, Mrs. Odhner notes that the transfer
of religion from one generation to another “hangs on the thin thread of
conversation” between parent and child, teacher and student. “When
conversations are few and far between this thread is weak,” she writes, “but
when woven into the fabric of daily life it becomes strong enough to survive
the challenges of adulthood. . . . The more central religion is in the family, the
more central it becomes in a child’s worldview.”
From the beginning, General Church women have “felt a strong call to
the useful service of nurturing children and their parents, and encouraging
children to develop a relationship with the Word.” This led to the writing and
publication of the General Church Religion Lessons.
Extensive surveys have revealed that 67 percent of children who completed
the lessons joined the General Church as adults. And parents comment on
how much they and their children loved the time they spent together on the
lessons. The only other factor that produced a similarly high success rate was
attending Bryn Athyn College of the New Church.
For younger children, conversations with their parents are most important;
during adolescence, conversations with others outside the family are especially
helpful. So a Church community and friendships within the Church are also
important.
“Women are natural experts on raising children,” Mrs. Odhner observes.
“Under the flag of Theta Alpha, the women of the General Church used their
expertise to support parents, especially mothers, in passing New Church ideas
from one generation to another.”
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