GenX Religion is the first in-depth collection on this generation's religious experience. The contributors, mostly GenXers themselves, offer both a disciplined methodology and a valuable insider's sensitivity as they examine the differences between GenX religion and "traditional" religious avenues.

    Contents:Introduction; 1. Generation X and Religion: An Overview and Typology, Richard W. Flory and Donald E. Miller ; Section I: GenX Congregations; 2. Monday Night at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa; 3. When Two Worlds Collide: The Merging of GenX Culture and Conservative Religion, Lori Jensen ; 4. Sunday Night Fever: The Church Inside Club Walls, LaDawn Prieto ; 5. Slam Dancing for Jesus: The Mosh Pit Gospel Hour; Section II: community, Group Identity and Individual Expression; 6. Losing Life to Save It: Religion and Solidarity in the City, Tim Sato ; 7. Marked for Jesus: Sacred Tattooing Among a 'New Generation' of Evangelicals, Lori Jensen, Richard W. Flory and Donald E. Miller ; 8. Slipping into Darkness: Popular Culture and the Creation of a Latino Evangelical Youth Culture, Arlene Sanchez Walsh ; 9. A Garden Enclosed: Field Notes from a Sexual Purity Seminar, Brenda Brasher ; 10. Spirituality Bites: Gothic X'ers and Vampire Culture, Julia Winden Fey; 11. Creating Campus Communities: Korean-American Ministries at UCLA, Sharon Kim; 12. The Traditional as Alternative: The GenX Appeal of the International Church of Christ, Greg Stanczak ; Conclusion; 13. Toward a Theory of GenX Religion, Richard W. Flory and Donald E. Miller

    Biography

    Richard W. Flory is Assistant Professor of Sociology at Biola University. Donald E. Miller is Professor of Religion at the University of Southern California, where he codirects the Center for Religion and Civic Culture.

    "These rich and subtle papers demonstrate that generation X is neither Western civilization's deliverance nor its nemesis." -- Alan Aldridge, American Journal of Sociology
    "...provides a typology that helps readers understand GenXers and their religious needs." -- Religious Studies Review
    "Each chapter is unique, interesting reading and includes specific references for that particular case study (from Christian Tattoo parlors to a Friday Night Live Shabbat service)." -- Religious Studies Review
    "GenX Religion is a fascinating foray into the spiritual expression of a varied group of youthful seekers... The book's editors... offer illuminating chapters that attempt to define Gen-Xers and posit a theory of their religion... the book is an engrossing look at the colorful way in which Gen-Xers are making an unconventional mark on the American religious landscape." -- Teresa Watanabe, Los Angeles Times
    "GenX Religion looks deep into the gap between traditional by-the-book churches and solitary postmodern spirituality to find a thriving world of youthful religious gatherings-a Christian tattoo parlor, a Baptist nightspot, a Latino drama troupe, a Korean students' Bible study, Sunday services for hip African Americans, shabbat and schmoozing for Jewish singles, committed fellowships and casual associations-with hardly anyone over thirty! This is a fascinating book." -- R. Stephen Warner, University of Illinois at Chicago
    "This volume represents the opening gambit in a larger discussion of the eclectic, innovative, and unconventional spirituality of Generation X. If this collection of compelling essays is any indication, it promises to be a lively conversation indeed." -- Randall Balmer, author of Blessed Assurance: A History of Evangelicalism in America
    "...a rich inside look at the pastiche of worship styles and spiritual practices that America's young people have come to embrace--and a poignant portrait of a generation desperately seeking to be loved." -- Robert Wuthnow, Princeton University, author of After Heaven: Spirituality in America Since the 1950s