Keepers of the Meaning
by Richaard H. Gentzler, Jr., D.Min.
"The old people kept the faith alive." That was the message I heard clearly while participating in a discussion with new friends at the NGO World Forum on Ageing, held in Madrid, Spain, in April. Our topic was religion, spirituality, and aging. And I was being reminded that it was indeed the old women and old men who, after the fall of the Communist Soviet Union, had re-ignited the flames and passion of the Christian faith in Russia. In spite of the difficult years, many of the elderly had "kept the faith." Many older adults had yearned for a time when people of all ages would once again worship the Lord freely and in a church without fear.
The prophet Zechariah reminds us that there was a time when many Jews also longed to worship again in the temple. The Exile had lasted about 70 years. Cyrus, king of Persia, had conquered Babylon in 539 B.C. and had initiated a policy permitting displaced people to return to their homelands. Some years later, few people had returned to Jerusalem. Many had grown accustomed to their new home and had decided to stay. Thus the work of rebuilding Jerusalem and reconstructing the ruined temple was slow. It was in this time that Zechariah began to prophesy. He proclaimed these encouraging words, "Thus says the Lord of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of their great age" (Zech. 8:4, NRSV).
We know that as a result of better health care, nutrition, job safety, physical fitness, medical technology, and a host of other things, more people are living longer today than ever before. As people live longer and retire earlier, the post-retirement period can last thirty or more years. Growing older is no longer synonymous with death. Surely, God has some purpose for adding years to our lives, but how can we add life to our years?
In his book, Aging Well, George Vaillant writes that older adults play an important role as "Keepers of the Meaning." They have the responsibility for focusing on "conservation and preservation of the collective products of humankind." He writes,
"The generative individual cares for an individual in a direct future-oriented relationship — as, for example, a mentor or teacher. In contrast, the Keeper of the Meaning speaks for past cultural achievements and guides groups, organizations, and bodies of people toward the preservation of past traditions" (pages 48-49).
Erik Erikson suggested that tensions exist with every developmental task — Intimacy versus Isolation, Generativity versus Stagnation, Ego Integrity versus Despair. Likewise, Dr. Vaillant maintains that with Keepers of the Meaning, the danger is rigidity. In other words, if they are not careful, older adults can be too rigid in maintaining tradition. They may wish to maintain tradition whether or not it holds any real significance or value. From experience we know it is not always easy maintaining traditions and values without appearing too rigid or uncaring and unsympathetic to change.
Our society has long complained that older adults are "too conservative," "never wanting change," and "unable to learn new things." Quite frankly, these myths about older adulthood really bore me. In reality, older adults have, out of necessity, experienced numerous changes over the years! Think about all the changes that have taken place in our world in the past 75 years; older adults are survivors. They have lived through a host of changes — technological, political, economic, cultural, personal, and religious. Perhaps it's true that "aging isn't for sissies."
But what are we to make of this new understanding of the role of older adulthood? What does it mean for our faith, our church, our ministry to understand an important role of older adults as "Keepers of the Meaning"?
It is important for the church to address this issue, particularly since change is everywhere and continuous. It is a constant in our lives. What might God have in mind as more and more people experience the gift of longer life?
Older adults have a vital role in helping preserve the traditions of the church: the faith, the worship, the teaching. Yet, as Christians, we must discern carefully between preserving that which is truly the will of God and that which is our own fancy. It is important for leaders of older-adult ministries to "lift up" older adults as "Keepers of the Meaning" and to help the congregation understand and appreciate this unique role. However, it is equally clear that the role of the church is to call into question the "preservation of past traditions" when God's call is for change.
Older adults cannot become too oriented to the past or long to go back to the "good old days." Older adults can, as "Keepers of the Meaning," model what it means to be people who learn, grow, and change, and who do so successfully. They can help the church preserve what is good and just and loving. They can help the church live a Christ-centered existence because they are helping maintain and preserve the love of God within the community. When older adults are open to God's will and are engaged in the task as a learning, teaching people, they are better able to be faithful to the task of "Keepers of the Meaning."
In closing, I am once again reminded how "the old people kept the faith alive" in Russia and Zechariah's promise that old men and old women would again fill the streets of Jerusalem, receiving respect and playing a vital role because of their age. Older adults in our church have a vital role to play. We must not allow the wealth of wisdom, experience, and faith that often abound in older adults to be lost or go underused.
Richard H. Gentzler, Jr., D.Min., is Director of the Center on Aging & Older Adult Ministries, Nashville, Tennessee.