Jeremy Paul Myers is associate professor of religion at Augsburg College, Minneapolis, Minnesota. He specializes in the discipleship of youth and family ministry. His research interests include adolescent experiences of God's presence and activity, how adolescents construct theology, a vocational understanding of adolescence, interfaith youth work, and a public understanding of church.
Description
Introduction 1. The Undeveloped Consumer: Youth in Bondage to the Adolescent 2. Vocation as Liberation from the Undeveloped Consumer 3. Called 4. Child of God 5. Relational 6. Created Co-Creator 7. Conclusion End Notes Acknowledgments Index
"Every young person longs to be seen as they truly are. Jeremy Myers has written an honest, compassionate, and reflective work to help us see young people as full human beings and cocreators with God. I highly recommend Liberating Youth from Adolescence to pastors, youth workers, parents, and anyone who truly cares about the lives of young people and the well-being of the church." --Mark Yaconelli, author of Contemplative Youth Ministry and The Gift of Hard Things "Jeremy Myers has offered us a timely and engaging little book in Liberating Youth from Adolescence. It comes on the heels of other pieces in youth ministry arguing that adolescence is a constant empirical reality across all cultures and times, not an invention of industrial capitalism. Myers offer a competing and, I believe, more helpful construal. Escaping the hidden chains of scientific positivism, Myers offers a prophetic take that all working with young people should consider, study, and engage. In doing so, you'll be moved to action that I'm confident will change your ministry." --Andrew Root, author of Exploding Stars, Dead Dinosaurs, and Zombies "Can you imagine your work with young people taking seriously that they are created in the image of God? Can you imagine your work with young people in such a way that sees them as a vital part of the body of Christ? Can you imagine your work with young people that helps them see themselves as children of God and makes room for their call to be co-creators with God? Jeremy Meyers calls us to reimagine what we should have already known . . . young people were created with meaning and purpose! What they need are guides to assist them in becoming who they already are!" --Reggie Blount, Garret-Evangelical Theological Seminary "In the noisy marketplace of ideas about young people today, Myers's voice stands out. He reminds us how to come alongside young people "becoming who they already are"--be that ordinary, heroic, idealist, confused, or all of the above at the same time! Through appreciative critique of the developmental theories that shape ministry with young people, Myers opens a way to go about this work that is joy-filled, relationship-rich, and non-anxious. He does so in full acknowledgment of the disparities facing young people as they navigate the multiple, often death-dealing social locations of contemporary life." --Dori Baker, author of Doing Girlfriend Theology and The Barefoot Way