The results of research done at the University of Michigan tells us that compassion among college students is declining.   Researchers analyzed data on empathy collected from almost 14,000 college students over the last 30 years.   “We found the biggest drop in empathy after the year 2000,” said Sara Konrath, a researcher at the U-M Institute for Social Research.

You can read the entire article here.

I wonder if there is any correlation between the consumer mindset so prevalent in modern churches today and the decline of the hallmark personality trait of Jesus.  The scriptures regularly address the issue of compassion or the lack thereof.

What are we doing to challenge ourselves and those we serve to grow in compassion?

What are we doing, inadvertently or intentionally, that may be contributing to the decline in empathy and compassion in out young people today?

What does this mean as we do bridge-building work among marginalized communities? (i.e., LGBTQ, Homeless, Substance Abusers, Incarcerated, etc.)

Here’s a great video to get the discussions started about compassion.