This morning I read up on the recent USA Today article which highlights a national study surveying religion in the United States. The basic conclusions are not surprising, yet they are profound for our culture. From 1990 to 2008, Christians from every tradition have declined in every state without exception. Alongside this, is an explosive increase in atheist and “new religions” like Wiccan, Spiritualist, and Neo-Pagan religions. This is our reality. We can no longer talk about the post-Christian “Europe” as hopelessly lost and altogether different than America – we are on the same journey, a journey away from Christendom.
Illinois is the lowest in the Midwest
Here’s the deal: Christians must begin to find themselves at home in the “counter-culture.” Its tough to imagine what it might be like, since for 1700 years the West has been dominated by a Christian-majority culture, even if those following Jesus were in the extreme minority.
Here’s what I mean. Since America began, it was built on the premise that all religions should be tolerated by the state, and yet there grew in America’s roots the impression that every person was Christian. Over time, it became the civil thing to be a Christian – and before long you have Christian prayers and language integrated into policies and presidential inaugurations. Churches became the cornerstones for civil communities. You were not respected if you were not a church-going family, and most elders were the business leaders and politicians of small town America.
But now (and for quite sometime in our cities) this does not describe our reality. Christians are seen as ignorant, gay-hating, and judgmental. They are seen as hypocritical, Republican, and against “progress.” In short, urbanites view Christians as people who want to hang on to “entitled power.”
I find that much of my evangelism in Chicago starts with confessing the sins of the Western Church. Its a new definition for “apologetics” – I have to apologize for the Crusades, for the priest sex abuse scandal of 2002, and so much more. But I also stand firm on the belief that Christ came to establish a counter-culture of revolutionaries, aimed at upending the status quo, and establishing rebellious groups in the heart of the Empire. Not rebelling with violence, but rebelling with love – loving enemies instead of hating them. Not defending oppressive power structures but reimagining new ones that cultivate justice for the poor. I preach this as hard as I can – because I believe that somewhere inside the American Church is the dream of starting this fire again in our day, and that inside each skeptic is a heart that wants to join a cause that fights for redemption.
I welcome the end of Christendom in America – but I also welcome Christ’s return to America in a brand new way.
May churches continue to grow, but may they grow in health and service, not in political position or worldly prestige. May people continue to join the Church, but for the sake of the love revolution and not for “networking and personal advance.” May the poor and the skeptics get a clear message from Christ’s followers that they are here to help with the change the world needs, and that help comes out of a belief that God loves the world so much.
So come on and join in the resistance. Join the army of non-violence! This is a chance for the Church to take her next step forward.
Sean is discussing. 
miller, 
Sean 6:47 pm on March 12, 2009 Permalink
Dude I totally just saw this on Google and was going to tease you about it. What kinda prayin’ do you do boy!! You’ve only been down there for a few months and already their naming the place after you. How can I do that!