Solving Moralistic Therapeutic Deism for the Youth Group

Abstract

This article aims to provide new insights for resolving adolescents' Moralistic Therapeutic Deism, which remains problems in youth ministry. It presents an approach to Christian education to solve Moralistic Therapeutic Deism that is evident among mainline Protestant and Catholic teenagers but is also visible in other religious types of teens and even many non-religious youth in America. Moralistic Therapeutic Deism has become the dominant civil religion in America. It is the actual de facto functional religious faith of the majority of teens, regardless of their official affiliation. The problems with Moralistic Therapeutic Deism are that it tends to seek individual happiness as the highest goal in life, self-love and self-acceptance as the keys to achieving that happiness, and an amorphous faith in a unique God. Moralistic Therapeutic Deism is penetrating into youth in our worshipping community, and we must help them awake from the invasion of Moralistic Therapeutic Deism and rethink Christian tradition and practices, which make Christianity distinct from Moralistic Therapeutic Deism. This study has important implications for the theological practical application of youth ministry, which could solve the Moralistic Therapeutic Deism. It seeks to provide adolescents, who have bought into Moralistic Therapeutic Deism, anchors for the true Christian faith from a Christian theological perspective. In the course of exploring its deeper meaning, it will first discuss the harm of Moralistic Therapeutic Deism as the first phase to resolving the impacts of Moralistic Therapeutic Deism in the Christian life, especially for today’s teenagers, generally. Drawing on the insights of Christian practice, it will also explore how we could fix Moralistic Therapeutic Deism based on several key theological normative doctrines. Then, it will suggest the solution of Moralistic Therapeutic Deism for the youth group in Grace Church based on understanding its ministry. It is hope that it helps guide what Grace Church needs to do with Moralistic Therapeutic Deism in the present and the future.