Aging Baby Boomers: Reviewing Faith, Spirituality and Religious Affiliation in the Next Stage of Life

Abstract

This research project seeks to asses what if any merits there are to the belief that the Baby Boomers, like past generations before them, will in their next and later stage of life have a strong reconnection with the church in which they were brought up. It looks at how they came to leave the church, what their beliefs towards faith, spirituality and the church are now after so long a time away from the church. It also looks at their coming retirement and the possibility of a return to church and what that may mean for the church. It was found that a very big majority of these participants had a church background and a high majority of them still had positive memories and feelings about church. However, very few were actively considering any return to church ? the length of time away from church and the perceived relevance or irrelevance of church being a major issue to returning.