Presentation Schedule
Generational Perspectives on Cultural Inclusivity in the Church: The Case of Adolescents and Adults in Brazil (103027)
Session Chair: Dirk Rodricks
This presentation will be live-streamed via Zoom (Online Access)
Wednesday, 7 January 2026 16:10
Session: Session 2 (Parallel)
Room: Live-Stream Room 5
Presentation Type: Live-Stream Presentation
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Limited research has explored how generational differences shape attitudes toward cultural inclusivity within religious communities. This study examines how adolescents and adults perceive cultural diversity in church settings, offering insights into how generational context influences inclusivity within congregations. Data were drawn from the Global Church Member Survey (GCMS), conducted by the General Conference of the Seventh-day Adventist Church (2022–2023). The analysis focused on Brazilian participants, including adolescents aged 10–18 (n = 3,311) and adults aged 30 and older (n = 46,700), from a total sample of 60,008 respondents. Cultural inclusivity was measured using two indicators: (1) comfort with attending a church where members share the same cultural background and (2) openness to welcoming individuals from different cultural backgrounds. Overall, participants expressed greater openness to cultural diversity than preference for cultural uniformity. However, adolescents reported higher comfort levels in culturally homogeneous church environments and slightly lower openness to welcoming people from diverse backgrounds compared to adults. These findings suggest that adolescents may value cultural similarity more strongly than adults, indicating developmental and experiential factors that shape inclusivity attitudes. While further research is needed to identify contributing influences, the study enhances understanding of generational differences in perceptions of cultural inclusivity within faith communities and offers implications for age-sensitive ministry, intercultural competence education, and inclusive church environments that nurture diversity as a dimension of faith.
Authors:
Injae Son, Andrews University, United States
Vy Cao, La Sierra University, United States
About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Cao is currently an Assistant Professor and Director of CTC Liaison & Assessment at the School of Education, La Sierra University, Riverside, California, USA.
See this presentation on the full schedule – Wednesday Schedule
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