I finally put my finger on something yesterday that has been bothering me for many years about how generational based labels (e.g. Silent Generation, Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, Gen Z) are often used and the attitudes attached to them. For some context, many years ago at my church in Alabama, Summit Crossing, I heard one of the best multi-week expositions of the book of James I have ever listened to. It gave me real, challenging, and concrete ways to understand what “partiality” (James 2:1ff) actually is and how to avoid it.
“My brothers, show no partiality as you hold the faith in our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory.” (James 2:1 ESV)
Over multiple weeks, different forms of partiality were raised and addressed, among which were social favoritism, sexism, and racism. All of which share the common root of dishonoring some who are made in God’s image by devaluing or mistreating one group or person and elevating another on unjust principles of distinguishing people for relative treatment. The word used in James specifically indicates only the “positive” expression of this, as showing favoritism; but its inverse (the “negative”) expression to those not favored is a natural corollary to favoritism, and so for sake of simplicity in this article I will refer to both as “partiality.” Differences do in fact exist in social status, sex, and race, obviously, but using that as a basis of either favoritism or demeaning treatment is wrong and is a form of partiality (whether “positive” [as undue favor] or “negative” [as disfavor] expressions of it). All forms of partiality are sin, therefore social favoritism, sexism, and racism are sinful.
I would like to add to that list of sins of partiality what I will call here generationalism. This is the case where generational labels are applied to a group to characterize them, or single them out, for some form of mocking, dismissal, silencing, various oversimplified classifications (“Boomers are…“, “Gen Z is…” + [some sweeping statement]…), demeaning, deriding, sneering, cliquish (insider/outsider) alignment, improper elevation/inflation, or various expedient usages one could imagine. For sinful humans who find so many things to divide over and reasons to pit X group against Y group, generationalism fits right into the trend. Generationalism contributes to a lack of peacableness (James 3:17), which we ought to be pursuing with all people (Rom 12:18). When someone makes value judgments on entire generations of people, in a partial way where that generational moniker supposedly “defines” who they are and their character traits in contrast to others, this is as horrible as sexism and racism. It is partiality and sin. Especially when it is a false generalization or reduces someone to a lesser or ostracized status; but also when it includes idolizing a generation favorably and putting it on a pedestal.
Generationalism contributes to a lack of peacableness (James 3:17), which we ought to be pursuing with all people (Rom 12:18).
To restate this, generationalism lends itself toward seeing one whole generation as better or worse than another on unjustified grounds that leads to categorical attitudes like “I am going to treat Gen Z/Millennials/Boomers this way because of X…” relative to personal esteem. In many instances of its “negative” employment it even falls into collective slander. It can also manifest in blatant and blithe disrespect, as seen in the unfortunately common quip and meme: “OK Boomer.”[1] Or when working in the opposite direction, it tries to elevate one generation over the others by glorifying it. Here it seems applicable to mention that scripturally speaking we should neither “Lord over” others (Matt 20:25) by elevation, nor should we think less of others and treat them accordingly (devaluing them), but rather love others as we love ourselves (Matt 22:39).
But hear me right—I am not saying that using the actual labels of Boomer, Gen X, Millennial, etc. are bad or sinful in some way, but rather I am highlighting the cases where the intent for which they are invoked are in many instances used for divisive and partial treatment of one group over the other. Generationalism involves wrong intent and attitudes toward others.
Indeed, I call myself a Millennial and speak as well of Gen Z, but it is the intent, manner, and end to which I employ such labels which matters. It behooves me and others to think critically about instances where using those labels are not only unnecessary and counterproductive but also contrary to moral propriety and to peace. How many times have you heard a generation’s “name” abused? Jesus doesn’t want us to use our words as weapons of warfare. (And what was it James said about the evil of the tongue again, and how prone it is to causing destruction?) So, we need to avoid yet another “-ism” that is a form of partiality: generationalism. When we fall into generationalism in our speech, thought, and deeds, we sin. But sins can be repented of, and we can turn away from them to better things, so this is not a condemnation but a call to attention and a call to repentance in this specific area of speech and treatment of others.
It behooves me and others to think critically about instances where using those labels are not only unnecessary and counterproductive but also contrary to moral propriety and to peace.
Until yesterday when I was reflecting on this, I did not have a good mental or theological classification for his kind of reprehensible behavior that feeds more into division than being the kind of peacemakers who God blesses (Matthew 5:9). But then it clicked that partiality is precisely the category that generationalism falls under. May God save us from such improper thoughts and rash labels and rather conform us to the “way of thinking… which was also in Christ Jesus” (Phil 2:5 LSB), so that we will possess “humility of mind regarding one another as more important than [ourselves]” (2:3).
[Next up for critique some time: Ageism as partiality.]