Ageism In the Church

In 1968, Pulitzer Prize winning author, gerontologist and psychiatrist, Dr. Robert N. Butler coined the descriptive term, “ageism,” to describe discrimination against older adults (a term consistent in usage with ‘sexism’ or ‘racism’). While the problem continues in the secular world, age discrimination is also tolerated and practiced widely within the Church. This is not only not right, it runs against the grain of biblical scripture. In one of his recent posts on Christians and business, Dan Edelen explains how ageism in business has bled over into the church:

The "old is bad" meme has caught on even within God's Body. Churches preach that your appearance does not matter and that age means nothing--while at the same time they kick out the gray-haired worship pastor in favor of the trendy postmodern guy who loves Coldplay.

You can't go a day and not her some radio preacher talking about bringing legal challenges to abortion, gay marriage, or some other pet Evangelical cause. But where was D. James Kennedy when a guy in his fifties got a pink slip in California for being "too old?" Why isn't Jim Wallis camped out in Sacramento protesting? Where's the book by John Maxwell decrying "employment euthanasia" amid all that talk about leadership? . . . .

This is no way to live folks. And the Church's silence is pervasive.

Sadly, it appears that more and more church leaders are buying into the worldly idea that young people are the only ones that count. Terms like "our target is 20s and 30s", or "our emphasis is young families" are the mottos that drive programming, worship music and sanctuary ambiance. Most churches have been built and supported by the older members of their congregations. When they question the changes that favor only younger people, they are told something like "you've had your day, now it's ours." While that may be true, to a degree, the insensitivity of demanding agreement without question creates a terrible conflict where either the long time member simply stays quiet, and wonders "where their church went?", or they feel like they must leave their longtime church to worship in a more blended congregation.

In a recent CASA Network blog, one of the writer's said this in relationship to younger and older pastors; While recently traveling with one denomination’s presbyter in California, he spoke to me of the difficulty leadership is having in connecting young pastors with those older and more experienced. “The younger leaders are not disrespectful,” he said. “They simply don’t want to waste time interacting with leaders they believe have little in common with them and with the way they want to ‘do church.’”


Sadly, in many churches today, "doing church" means excluding or not caring about older parishioners. As an older minister who has spent the past 5 months looking for a new church position, I can tell you that ageism is alive and well in the hiring process. Fortunately, there are still many churches who respect and include their older members in the life of the church. “Even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to all the generations to come” (Psalm 71: 18).