Cold Gospel
Just as the New York Times was front-paging a supposed upsurge in atheism (God? What God?) came complementary tidings from the Pew Research Center. To wit, it's not church spats over "gay marriage" or pedophilia that seem to be driving explicit Christians out the door. A complex of concerns causes their switch to another religion or none at all: namely, disgust with perceived churchly hypocrisies, the rejection of teachings perceived as false, failure to meet personal spiritual needs, and so on.
Of the population, Pew says, 44 percent no longer embrace their childhood faiths. Pew says there wasn't necessarily, in these cases, a lot of faith that required dissipating. Ex-Catholics had less faith as children than co-religionists who stayed on. Pew reports, "Former Protestants who are now unaffiliated are less likely to have regularly attended worship services as a child and even less likely to have attended regularly as a teenager."
Parental guidance and example may have been wanting—as perhaps it was wanting in the parents' own early lives. Or the lives of the parents' parents. Where these things start you never can tell. Somewhere, anyhow. Possibly in a radiated indifference on the part of religion's stewards—priests, teachers, evangelists? In a studied coolness to the fever and fervor of Gospel Christianity?
The habit of indifference, once contracted, is hard to shake off, except through direct experience or vivid communication of a general experience, from which human factor arise those suspicions of organized religion just mentioned—twinned with a certain loopiness about ends and means.
The present presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, Katharine Jefferts Schori, when asked by Time magazine a few years back to specify her focus as head of the church, replied, "Our focus needs to be on feeding people who go to bed hungry, on providing primary education to girls and boys, on healing people with AIDS, on addressing tuberculosis and malaria, on sustainable development." And … and … On God, too? On Jesus? On sin and salvation? Not as the lady allowed. Not a word issued forth from her about those concerns for which the Episcopal Church—and all other churches—had supposedly gone into business.
The Peace Corps in ecclesiastical drag is what modern churches often resemble. You want to work for sustainable development? Well, then, off to church we go. It sounds a little silly, because it is silly. The government and a complex of secular organizations already address these concerns, often quite intelligently. The ordering of the human relationship to God is the normal purpose of religion. Of course, as the New York Times' front-page story reminds us, no one is required to believe in God. Whoever wants can form a secular humanist society in order to do whatever secular humanist societies do: chiefly, it seems, rail at religious "stupidities."
The non-beauty, sometimes, of the drift away from church affiliation is that the drifter—as the Pew study shows—wants to believe, but receives inadequate encouragement from those supposedly in the business of encouraging. Great numbers of Christian ministers seem to have missed their calling as research scientists, public policy experts, or congressmen.
No age is ever completely religious or completely secular. The present age takes some kind of cake for nearly complete confusion about what we're doing here in the first place. The modern churches' inability—or unwillingness—to connect human existence to human ends is undermining the churches themselves: Mrs. Jefferts Schori's (and my) church, for instance.
A committee of the Episcopal Church recently acknowledged that the church lost 10.5 percent of its members between 2003 and 2007, after it threw over traditional scriptural teaching about marriage relationships and consecrated a gay divorced man as bishop of New Hampshire.
Actions have consequences, the churches are finding. Non-actions, too. A Christian body isn't required by statute to soar in spirit at the idea of bringing others "to Christ." What happens when it doesn't soar would seem a topic for volumes of sermons.
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Mr. Murchison,
"The ordering of the human relationship to God is the normal purpose of religion." Oh, t'is true, t'is true.
"The modern churches’ inability—or unwillingness—to connect human existence to human ends is undermining the churches themselves"
And we might add, that one cannot give what one does not have, and one cannot know before he loves; we need some breathing, living, saints who are not cowards and/or hypocrits to teach us about what we love in them.( Hint: I suspect it is not "them" we are attracted to, rather that spirit which is more in them than anyone else we know.)
A Christian body isn’t required by statute to soar in spirit at the idea of bringing others “to Christ.” What happens when it doesn’t soar would seem a topic for volumes of sermons.
Ah, you said it better and even before I had written what I had written. Thanks for the thoughtful article.
"Great numbers of Christian ministers seem to have missed their calling as research scientists, public policy experts, or congressmen."
This is perhaps Mr. Murchison's most significant statement. I would argue that the following could also be very true: Great numbers of research scientists, policy experts, and congressmen have missed their calling as ministers.
For ministry now mean preaching, and preaching is something that everyone believes is their entitlement, particularly when one can peddle his very own gospel. Oh that the ministers would focus on Tradition (or even tradition) and lead their flocks in receiving the Holy Spirit.
It's not so much that we have denominations or atheism anymore, we simply have the Church of Me.
A comment by Robert above brought to mind that the incorrupt relics of a modern-day Saint are on American soil in San Francisco (of all places). He is Saint John the Wonderworker, Archbishop of Shanghai and San Francisco (Russian Orthodox Church Abroad). Many, many people have come to faith through the prayers of Saint John both during his earthly life and since his repose.
For me, the most significant statement Murchison makes here is:
"The ordering of the human relationship to God is the normal purpose of religion."
Just so. And that is precisely what the ministers and priests of mainstream religion (and, alas, many Catholic clergy, too) seem either to have forgotten or to consider so obvious and commonplace that it doesn't require constant restatement. Given human imperfection, however, it does require continuing reiteration.
"Given human imperfection, however, it does require continuing reiteration."
Well said Mr. Olson. And from generation to generation --- until the end of the world, or our own death, which ever is longer.
"The present presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, Katharine Jefferts Schori, when asked by Time magazine a few years back to specify her focus as head of the church, replied, “Our focus needs to be on feeding people who go to bed hungry, on providing primary education to girls and boys, on healing people with AIDS, on addressing tuberculosis and malaria, on sustainable development.”"
The cat is out of the bag: The Episcopal church is nothing but a charity now. Apparently some of their churches are now trying to 'reinterpret' the passages in the Bible that condemn homosexuality. If there are many orthodox Episcopal laymen left, I urge you to jump ship as soon as possible.
Mr. Maxwell writes:"If there are many orthodox Episcopal laymen left, I urge you to jump ship as soon as possible."
Yes, but with the certainty that if they jump from the sinking ship to the Barque of Peter, it will be with the complete understanding to begin manning the pumps there as well.
"Yes, but with the certainty that if they jump from the sinking ship to the Barque of Peter, it will be with the complete understanding to begin manning the pumps there as well."
Things are improving though. I expect a fight when it comes time for the Holy Father to end the schism with the SSPX - their final condition basically amounts to a 'reinterpretation' of Vatican II. I suspect the more 'progressive' We Are Church leftist Catholics will put up a big fight about that, as they use the 'spirit of Vatican II' as a kind of super Dogma.
Mr. Murchison,
Your words:
“The ordering of the human relationship to God is the normal purpose of religion.”
You have brought us to the very heart of the matter. Though His created order, God has revealed Himself to us, with His ultimate revelation being in the Incarnation - the Second Person of the Trinity writing Himself into history as the Christ, Jesus of Nazareth, who through His passon, death, resurrection and ascension, reconciled us to the Father. God has provided us the means and the terms of "ordering the human relationship to Himself. Chistianity is a rebinding (religion) of ourselves to the God from whom we are fallen and estranged through the finished work of Christ as revealed and confessed by the Holy Ghost in the context and work of the Church through which and in which we have communion with the Father in Christ.
Miss Schori has the goal of the therapy which we are supposed to practice all mixed up. Our pagan ancestors understood much better. Though flawed they might have been in their fallen understanding, they knew to offer therapy - worship, an attempt at communion - to the gods and that in return the gods would offer blessing (therapy) back to them in more offspring and better crops. Miss Schori, a product of the anti-culture/modernity, offers God no therapy, no worship and no communion on His terms, but offers it to the "new god" - man. The "id" has been raised to a god. Psychology has replaced religion, and cheap emotion has replaced contrition. Our capacity to be the salt and light of the world in the context of the Church and to offer mercy, grace and charity to others is a living confession of our right-relatedness to God which occurs only on His terms. What Miss Schori offers is counterfeit.
Modern churches' own folly has caused much of this decline in belief.
But the major force for unbelief is atheist, anti-Christian government. Government schools, attended by 89% of youngsters, ram functional atheism into their charges' heads. They also corrupt the kids' souls with Sex Ed, Drugs Ed, and Death Ed. Ever see a "health" textbook used in high school? It would disgust you.
Government advances such horrors as stem-cell "research" on unborn children, really high-tech cannibalism. The TV networks, really controlled by the FCC, blare atheism and perversity into most homes.
Churches need to wake up and realized that the government is their enemy. First, refuse all government money -- stolen from taxpayers -- even for charities.
Second, erect schools for all your children -- but make sure they're good schools of your faith, not carbon-copies of government schools, like so many parochial schools today.
Third, excommunicate politicians who violate the moral law, such as by voting for abortion.
Finally, junk your TV, especially cable.
Unless these things aren't done, and quickly, we'll be in another catacombs. If we aren't already.
I agree with #9, in particular the part about public 'education'. With the decline of religious orders (and thus, inexpensive teachers) the Catholic schools have started to become overpriced public schools as they can no longer be choosy enough to have only Catholic teachers. I understand that in some cases the religious classes are 'optional'.
Thank you all for such deep reflection. I view our post-Christian age as a new dark ages. We are a soft, spoiled lot. It's not that Christianity has been tried and found wanting. It is that it has been tried and found difficult. Why suffer the effort of self-denial when we can serve the gods of the dictatorship of relativism with such ease. Christ calls us to be revolutionaries, one and all. You ready?
May our Lord have mercy on us.
It seems to me that Mr. Seiler has hit it right. I would take his point one step farther and assert that behind anti-Christian government is the influence of Satan. It was our our Lord Who declared that by their fruits you shall know them, and Mr. Seiler has given us a list of the satanic fruits being foisted up us and our children. As far as Catholic education goes, I must put in a word for the schools of the Society of St. Pius X. If anyone here ever attended a Catholic school before Vatican II, then he would be comfortable in sending his children to an SSPX school. Yes, the teachers are primarily Catholic laymen, but the priests of the parish also teach classes, especially, religion classes. When I taught at one, there were no non-Catholic teachers. Our main purpose was to inculcate the Faith and to form the children in virtue -- which any parent knows can be a battle with some, particularly in this day an age. And, yes, reading, writing and arithmetic, etc., were stressed, also. It is sad that the great orders of teaching nuns have withered on the vine since the revolution of VII. Pray for vocations. P.S. I junked my television in 1999 and it has been a blessing for all concerned.
J Meng, the trouble is that SSPX schools are rare. While I do not agree with the SSPX 100%, I am sympathetic to their mission.
When I was younger (I am now 27), I attended a 'center right' Catholic school that was completely orthodox and provided a great education. No Tridentine Mass, but nearly every class was taught by a nun or brother with regular grillings from one of several priests on whether or not you were in Church last Sunday. All the laymen teachers were well-educated in Catholic doctrine. I fortunately wasnt in school anymore when these nuns began to retire.
Now I hear many Catholic schools are turning into 'charter schools' and losing all of their religious trappings.
#8 Mr. Peters,
I do not know who taught you your Christian religion but you are one lucky man. I imagine from your numerous posts that part of it was simply inherited from your cultural surroundings, part of it out of love for your home, and part from a concerted effort on your part. I never attended a private school but I had some good college professors who introduced me to the classics, poetry, the delight of learning and to our Tradition. I think they loved what they were teaching and one of them, who was no sentimentalist, was sometimes moved to tears by certain passages of Homer or Virgil as he read aloud to the class. He is now reduced( or perhaps liberated) to picture books,music and full time care of an attending nurse. I think you will have the same influence on your students if you perservere, and I can't think of a greater craft than that. Thanks for your excellent posts.
@13: The other problem is that schools, FSSPX or otherwise, are money-vacuums, which wouldn't be a problem because not everyone needs more than a few years (if that!) of formal education, but our government mandates otherwise and attaches a huge stigma to not finishing the high school diploma. I would never, ever advocate using a rock song as an anthem for anything under the sun, but Christians worried about the future transmission of culture and faith and the unyielding determination of atheist states like the U.S. and the French Republic might consider taking a hint from Pink Floyd on this point.
(By the way, most days in Paris and London we are under clouds, if you get the hint...)
Robert @ 14
My growth toward and ultimately in Christian faith began with my mother's milk. I was reared in and grew up in a community which, despite the fallen nature of all of us in it, was embedded in Christianity and Christianity in it. In the onslaught of modernity, that community has all be disappeared. Like an old garden overrun by weeds because the faithful gardeners are gone, one does find patches that suggest that a caring and care hand was once there. Quite recently, this metaphor became reality to me. We are selling the old home place. My father, who loved the soil, had year in and year out a wonderful vegetable garden. Since his death three years ago, a garden has not been planted and his favorite garden spot has been leveled by the rains and mowed over. Yet, just the other day, as I walked through the spot, still flanked by a old fig tree, a tree that faithfully produces fruit to this day, I smelled multiplying onions. There, in the grass, where a little colony of multiplying onions, faithful to their outpost even as the alien weeds crowed in. I dug them up and carried them to my place and put them in my garden. Some day, my hand will be gone and the weeds will again come. I hope that a child or a grandchild of mine will give them yet another place in the good earth.
It was at the age of nine, in that context, that I ordered my relationship to God and began, ever so imperfectly to confess Christ with my life. From the age of three to the age of nine, I was in a battle with God, trying to get God to see things my way. At the age of three, I lost my buddy, Charlie, to a car accident. Until the funeral, his body lay in the house of his aunt, a woman who was a second mother to me. She saw me staring at his boday and told me that as Charlie we were all going to die some day. I had seen dead cats and dogs, so I knew what death was - the end. I responded to her that I was not going to die. She firmly said that I was and that such belonged to God. I remember running out of the house, putting on my blue-jean jacket as I ran, and going out among a grove of privet hedge to sit on a limb and ponder what I had just encountered and to express my anger to God that such was possible. For a child, six years are a long time. For six years, I struggled with God over the issue of death and the issue of sin of which I became aware at sometime during that period. For six years, I tried to get God to see things my way, the way of a little barbaric self. Finally, like an old catfish which has put up a valient fight against the unseen angler on the bank, I gave up and told my pastor, Moses Eli Mercer, that I was ready to begin, be it ever so imperfect, to walk this life on God's terms. I have been walking, following the Christ, ever since, somethimes waysided and at other times fallen off the slopes which which the Straight and Narrow traverses. The Good Shepherd, with His rod and with His staff, has always shown me mercy and grace. Once some of us asked Brother Mose, as we called our old pastor, what the difference between mercy and grace was. He told us that one could split theological hairs over the matter, but that for our reference as kids we could best remember that mercy is not getting what one deserves, namely God's wrath, and grace is getting what one does not deserve, namely God's abiding love and attendant peace.
Where do Mercy and Justice Meet?
Mr Peters: "some of us asked Brother Mose, as we called our old pastor, what the difference between mercy and grace was. He told us that one could split theological hairs over the matter, but that for our reference as kids we could best remember that mercy is not getting what one deserves, namely God’s wrath, and grace is getting what one does not deserve, namely God’s abiding love and attendant peace."
Thanks and thank God for enduring things like mercy,and its actual manifestations in old farmsteads, wild onions and abandoned lilacs, where we remember other generations who gave it to us -- not by what they said, but what they did.
Thanks as always to Mr. Peters, for comments I invariably find valuable.
One of the tragic omissions of our current mainline churches (and many parents) is our failure to recognize the fierce battle for faith that goes on inside many children. Some have an early shock, as Mr. Peters did; many of the rest of us get old enough truly to understand that we must die, and then have to try to sort of just what that can mean, and how we will handle our terror of it. Children are so private, most of them, and in the end of course all our Jacobs have to wrestle with the Angel alone, but there is very little recognition, even in church, that this debate is likely going on. To let all those questions sit unacknowledged and unanswered is a terrible waste.
Kate,
As always, your rare posts and excellent observations raise serious issues. "Children are so private, most of them, and in the end of course all our Jacobs have to wrestle with the Angel alone, but there is very little recognition, even in church, that this debate is likely going on. To let all those questions sit unacknowledged and unanswered is a terrible waste."
And I would include adults in the equation as well. Where is Heaven? What is Hell? Can one get there from here? Why is the dragon, the bridge, and the river so predominant in classic texts all over the word? Why are these symbols significant for almost every age of record except our own? What are the principles of science and what can science provide us in the way of answers to these questions? These questions, in my opinion, are good questions that are rarely raised at even our "highest institutions of learning." Why are we so proud of our ignorance? What effects would humility have on our fund-raising capacity?
PS. One of my favorite writers once said that death is a complete change of habits.
This is a good article because it shows why liberal churches aren't exactly gaining new followers if liberalism is currently in vouge, because there is no need for them. If the state or some secular foundation can feed the hungry, clothe the naked, provide comfort to the troubled and build them a new house on top of all that, then you really don't need to get out of bed Sunday mornings if all religion is about is being a charity. Without proclaiming that Jesus Christ is Lord and Savior then there simply is no point in proceeding further. That's why you see Episcopal Churches with pastors proclaming themselves to be Muslim and part Buddist at the same time, because in a church that's just a charity, they can get away with it.
Who said the famous quote of "A religion without vices is a dead religion? I am not sure, but whoever it was was right on. THe Church has retreated instead of taking Cultural Marxism to task, now Churches are nothing more than big social clubs with a thin veneer of spirituality. I was raised Lutheran, very active in my Church, even somewhat during my undergrad days. I slacked off during being away at grad school, but I have to think that one of the big reasons people are leaving(I am one of them) is the pure hypocrisy of it all. You have Christians going nuts to defend unborn babies, but having no problem calling for the wholesale extermination of Arabic families, or being rabid for the death penalty. The Bush Administartion helped along this hypocrisy argument as the idiotic Religious Right shackled themselves to him as he made them out to look like a bunch of hypocritical dupes. I mean let's look at the reality of modern living. The divorce rate among the churched mirrors that of American society as a whole, sexual promiscuity is probably close as well. My 30+ year journey with Christianity also has shown me that most folks just go to church in order to look "respectable". Why are churches always overflowing during Xmas and Easter, but not every Sunday? It is almost like a one up over the Jones type deal. I am just as good as or better than you since I go to church, etc. On top of all that as the writer has said that churches have become an extension of social services, replacing the supposed main job of the Church(teaching God's Word and how to live a Christian life). Bottom line is that the Church has surrendered totally to Cultural Marxism, which to me signals that it was infiltrated or flawed for a very long time!!!!!!!
One thing any of us who attend church may do is to question (in Christian humility) any of our pastor's sermons that stray from the Truth. (I am not Catholic, but I believe even a Catholic may ask his pastor how a sermon lined up with Tradition.) Pastors are human and nowadays there is much ado about making sermons "relevant". What relevance turns out to be in most cases is sermons that are diluted, artificially sweetened and flavored kiddie food, or worse--a slide toward heresy. If we sit silently in the pews they will not know that there are parishioners who still think the Gospel matters. Granted, some pastors may well be on their way to perdition, but we may pose questions and dialogue that at least let them know that someone believes that sin and salvation are still very relevant.
And then, of course, if you contribute to the church's coffers, threatening to leave to find pastures that are less weed-infested (and taking your wallet with you) will always get a pastor's attention.
As a former Evangelical minister and current Episcopalian I continually marvel at the awe and wonder some people seem to have at the bankrupt theology some evangelicals are trying to foist upon the Episcopal Church. It is not the Episcopal Church and The Presiding Bishop who are on the wrong path. If "traditional Anglicans" are on the right path why are they taking their cues from the 3rd world and those who promote genocide? You are known by the company you keep.