Our world, our nation, and our culture seem to be abandoning Christianity. At the same time, we know that God is still moving. It hasn’t even been two years since Roe v. Wade was overturned, and last year saw revival break out in schools across the nation. All across America, faithful believers are working hard to reverse the slide into depravity, and God has been rewarding their efforts.
While this article may seem bleak, it is important to remember that the author includes a solution at the end. Faithful, dedicated Christians, such as many of the intercessors reading this, are the key. God wants to use us to restore our nation. How will you respond?
From The American Mind. Earlier this month, there was “a rave in the nave” at the Anglican Cathedral in Canterbury—instead of A Night at the Roxbury, it was A Night at the Canterbury. With the permission of the Very Rev. Dr. David Moneith, over 1,500 people came to the site of St. Thomas Becket’s martyrdom so that they could dance to club hits from the ‘90s. …
Who is praying on the wall?
Welcome the post-Christian West! The fumes of Christianity may linger, but the population at large has moved on to a distinctly different culture. …
As one might imagine, the post-Christian West is starting to resemble the pre-Christian West in a number of ways. As sociologist Rodney Stark noted in his re-released classic The Rise of Christianity, Rome before the birth of Christ, and for at least a century afterward, was also a diverse place, filled with activity and fun. It also happened to be relativistic, materialistic, and indifferent to tradition.
Consequently, pre-Christian Rome, like today, had a culture of death where abortions were common, birthrates were low, and sexual license was the norm. Men and especially women were objectified and were frequently reduced to mere laborers, consumers, procreators, and prostitutes. Only the very rich experienced any kind of freedom and commanded authority at this time. …
Fortunately, most of the West hasn’t quite descended to this level of decay (yet), and the vestiges of the Christian mindset continue to hold society intact. But this will change so long as Christianity recedes and a post-Christian paganism (otherwise known as postmodern ideology) rises to take its place. …
Yet this doesn’t explain why Christianity seems to be fading now. … Why would people today decide to abandon it now?
Although he doesn’t speak to this question directly, Stark discusses a problem all religions need to face in order to grow: spiritual “free riders.” Most people convert to religion because of their spiritual, social, and material benefits, but many of them will want to do so without making any sacrifices. Early Christianity required that believers live apart from the world around them by making prohibitions against idolatry, promiscuity, and selfishness, along with requiring prayer, almsgiving, and fasting. Not only did these prohibitions make Christians stand out in that culture, but it also put them at risk of persecution. They had skin in the game and were not allowed to free ride. …
Today’s Christian churches are full of free riders. In general, little is required of modern Christians, and all aspects of the Christian lifestyle have become optional. Aside from a few small gestures of faith, Christians are indistinguishable from non-Christians. They may receive their sacraments and associate with other Christians, but their outlook and behavior are much more defined by their environment than their religious beliefs. Even when their churches are desecrated, their brothers and sisters in Christ are martyred, or the key tenets of their faith are violated, most Christians tend to carry on as before, never realizing the damage that their complacency does to their religion.
In the midst of the season of Lent, now is the perfect time for Christians to stop this. As with the early Christians, the solution is simple: avoid sin and do more fasting, prayer, and almsgiving and confront Christians who refuse to do these things. …
At this point in time, a half-hearted Christian is worse than a whole-hearted atheist. For those who disagree (and most well-meaning Christians certainly will disagree), they should recognize that a post-Christian West is already happening, and it will soon be just as unpleasant and unfamiliar as its prequel two millennia ago.
What are your perceptions about the way our culture is going? Share your thoughts and prayers below.
(Excerpt from The American Mind. Photo Credit: SolStock/Getty Images)