Re point #9: as an American Evangelical I feel the dearth of religious traditions, especially ones that can connect generations together. My country is too enamored of the idea of individualism. My wife and I have been tentatively experimenting with more deliberate customs and traditions with our kids, but it's hard to make something brand-new feel as though it's worth perpetuating for years to come; besides, anything we do is confined to the small sphere of our own nuclear family unless we put serious effort into getting it accepted by our friends and relatives. That being said, everything you describe is very encouraging.
This is tangential, but have you read Tara Isabella Burton's book "Strange Rites: New Religions for a Godless World"? She describes the growing move away from a blatant secularism and towards a more "re-enchanted" worldview, mostly among people who would never consider themselves aligned with Christianity in any way. What you describe sounds like what she describes, but with the difference that everything you see is happening within the context of Christianity. It's a very good book!
Lol make each of these points a post, pls
Second this!
Re point #9: as an American Evangelical I feel the dearth of religious traditions, especially ones that can connect generations together. My country is too enamored of the idea of individualism. My wife and I have been tentatively experimenting with more deliberate customs and traditions with our kids, but it's hard to make something brand-new feel as though it's worth perpetuating for years to come; besides, anything we do is confined to the small sphere of our own nuclear family unless we put serious effort into getting it accepted by our friends and relatives. That being said, everything you describe is very encouraging.
This is tangential, but have you read Tara Isabella Burton's book "Strange Rites: New Religions for a Godless World"? She describes the growing move away from a blatant secularism and towards a more "re-enchanted" worldview, mostly among people who would never consider themselves aligned with Christianity in any way. What you describe sounds like what she describes, but with the difference that everything you see is happening within the context of Christianity. It's a very good book!