Youth agency and intergenerational solidarity: The case of multicultural congregations in the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa

Abstract

After 30 years of democracy in South Africa, a lot is said about the plight of the youth, whether they are the ones left behind in society or whether their voices are muted in shaping the future of the country. These questions and more are not just asked in society in general, but also more particularly within the context of faith communities. Studies carried out within multicultural congregations in the Apostolic Faith Mission of South Africa (AFMSA) show evidence of the potential and possibilities of igniting youth agency and harnessing intergenerational solidarity among different age groups when the five conditions of intergroup contact, namely inclusion, belonging, participation, leadership and shared values are met. The study utilised intergroup contact theory and social cohesion theory as a basis and a framework to investigate how the category of age is addressed within multicultural congregations in the AFMSA. A qualitative research methodology is followed consisting of focus-group interviews with participants of five multicultural congregations.
Contribution: The study reports on the findings, illustrating that the youth has agency, thus fostering intergenerational solidarity between all age groups. Through intergroup contact, the youth can turn faith communities into repositories of social cohesion in both church and society.