Of course Gen Z don’t understand Jesus. They’ve never met a man like him

Youthscape’s new Troubling Jesus report has prompted concern among Christian leaders about how Gen Z perceive Jesus when they encounter him for the first time through scripture.

The study presented unchurched teens with Bible passages that were intended to be encouraging. But young people reacted differently than anticipated, saying that the disciple Peter had been “pressured” into changing his identity and name, and finding it  “suspicious and intrusive” when Jesus approached a lone woman at the well.

As a young, liberal woman who grew up an atheist, it is no surprise to me that my generation’s first encounter with scripture may provoke more negative than positive reactions.

When I read the Bible for the first time, I was defensive over certain passages, wary of others and I had many, many questions

We are a generation who have grown up in unprecedented times among an ever-changing landscape. We have faced challenges including a global pandemic, the rise of social media and its effect on altering perceptions of reality. We are alive at a time when male violence against women has reached epidemic level, climate change presents very real threats, and political leaders can be hard to trust.

So perhaps young people are defensive of Jesus because they have never encountered a man like him before. A man who does not dominate but listens, who does not coerce but invites. A man who consistently centres those pushed aside by the rest of society - especially women.

Subversive Jesus

When Jesus approached the woman at the well, he did not shame her, threaten her, or push her into compliance. Instead, he broke cultural barriers, speaking to her with dignity and entrusting her with an evangelistic task, therefore giving her power and importance.

If that interaction, on the surface, seems suspicious to a generation who are hyper-alert to power imbalances, perhaps it says less about Jesus’ intent and more about how often young people have experienced authority being abused.

I can sympathise with my generation’s defensiveness. Like many of my peers, I grew up convinced that Christianity was misogynistic, old-fashioned and a myth. I could not see how a belief in Jesus could co-exist with my staunch views on social justice and feminism. So when, three years ago, at the age of 20, I found Jesus and decided to become a Christian, I had to interrogate both my faith and my feminist values to see if they were compatible.

The task now before us is to not soften or defend Jesus against Gen Z’s questions but to model him better

And when I read the Bible for the first time, I came at it from the same angle as the young people in Youthscape’s Troubling Jesus report. I was defensive over certain passages, wary of others and I had many, many questions. Why are there no female disciples? Where is Mary Magdalene’s book in the Bible? Does Paul hate women?

But my issue was never with Jesus. In fact, as I began to read the Bible, I quickly discerned that he is the ultimate feminist, a champion for equality for all human beings and an advocate for loving others above all else.

Discipleship matters

From complex language to unfamiliar customs, I have found reading the Bible almost impossible to navigate alone. Fortunately, I did not have to; I had supportive Christian friends who helped me, as well as resources like Alpha to give me context and a safe place to ask questions.

This is why discipleship matters. The rise of young people finding faith is incredible, but it is only the beginning. The task now before us is to not soften or defend Jesus against Gen Z’s questions but to model him better, while embracing the gifts that the younger generation brings and, in turn, help them read the Bible in a way that is exciting, informative and understandable.

Because Christianity has always been subversive. Jesus disrupted society, subverted gender norms and spoke with an authority that unnerved people.

So perhaps if some young people find him unsettling today, it does not signal failure. Instead, it could be a sign of genuine engagement.

Maybe Gen Z is not rejecting Jesus, but interrogating who he is, and that is worth taking seriously.