Friedrich Heer - "Challenge of Youth"

Another feature Brett and I would like to introduce on The Rebelution is frequent discussion of intellectually stimulating quotes from speeches, books, or articles. When we run across one we think makes especially good food for thought, we'll share it here on the blog for people to chew on, think about, discuss, and write about.

Here's what makes it fun: If you take the time to organize your thoughts and post them on your blog, write 'em in an email, or share them in the comments section — you'll be entered into a little contest. We'll choose the answer we think best covers the topic and send you a small prize of some sort.

UPDATE: Upon further thought, just email them [see below]. After all, we don't want procrastinating people getting the benefit from more diligent writers, do we? No, of course not. So if it's not too much trouble, please wait to post on your blog until after the contest is over... And while you can discuss stuff in the comment section, try to do most of that with your parents. They're a lot wiser.

And of course, to make this a permanent feature we'll need you to help us out with your participation and contributions — including sending us quotes. Read or heard a thought-provoking quote recently? Send it on (rebelution [dot] blogspot [at] gmail [dot] com). If we use it on the blog, you get the credit.

This feature's first quote comes from a book I providentially found while rummaging through used books at a library sale in Montgomery, Alabama. The book is entitled "Challenge of Youth," and was written by historian Friedrich Heer (1916-1983) — who at the time of the book's writing served as Professor of the History of Ideas at the University of Vienna.

In "Challenge of Youth" (1974), Heer documents and analyzes historically-significant youth movements — from the time of ancient Greece through the hippie era — concluding that:

The Quote: "[T]he harsh light of historical fact [is] that every significant youth movement is in its own time crushed by the forces in power, and its spirit frequently perverted or bent to other uses[.]"

It is also interesting to note that Professor Heer identifies the common characteristic among all youth movements as being "the symbolic rejection of the father (authority), and frequent adoption of a new 'father'..." and references Malachi 4:6 ("...turn the hearts of fathers to their children and the hearts of children to their fathers...”) to conclude that "it is the fathers who have the last word."

The Question: As a presuppositionally-Christian youth movement, how do you think the Rebelution differs (or should differ) from the youth movements Professor Heer described?

We'd like to really devote some time to discussing this important issue. Is a widespread Christian youth movement doomed to failure and perversion? We want to hear from you.

Although this is the test run, here's how we're envisioning it working: Use the comment section to bounce ideas off us and other readers (be sure to talk to your parents too!), then write out an organized answer to the above question and email it to us.

The deadline for entry is 11:59 PM, Sunday, January 22nd, giving you about a week and a half.