Yo, Steve, I will make no comment or prediction concerning the possible rise or fall of Christianity in America. I think America, to some extent at least, will always be a Christian nation in some kind of sense. That being said, it seems like all the time I am hearing from Christian sources cries of panic about the decline of evangelicalism or Christianity in general in America. In particular, I hear Christian panicking about the lack of men in churches and that Church going men are a dying breed, at least in America. I also seem to remember that internet monk, Michael Spencer wrote a significant article before he died on the decline of evangelicalism in America, and many people took this article VERY seriously. Anyway, I'm not here to argue with you or make the case that Christianity is in decline in America. It's just that this message seems to be coming from Christians themselves. What do you make of this?
I think the older generation has a tendency to say the younger generation is going to hell in a handbasket. Every decade you have a slew of books about the future of evangelicalism, about the evangelical identity crisis, and so on. The older generation tends to wax nostalgic about its own coming of age.
In general I'm dubious about alleged historical trends in Christianity. That's because human nature remains the same.
That being said, it seems like all the time I am hearing from Christian sources cries of panic about the decline of evangelicalism or Christianity in general in America. In particular, I hear Christian panicking about the lack of men in churches and that Church going men are a dying breed, at least in America.
American has generally been a secular nation. Those who lament the losses of the past tend to have a kind of halcyon view of our nation's first years, one that ignores the fact that perhaps only 30-40% of people were even members of a church, and that church attendance was significantly lower.
I learned these facts at seminary in a church history course, so I think there are Christians who are a bit more sober about the alleged catastrophic declines we face as Evangelicals. They just don't blog about it. (And who would listen? People are more interested in sensational claims than anything else.)
Yo, Steve, I will make no comment or prediction concerning the possible rise or fall of Christianity in America. I think America, to some extent at least, will always be a Christian nation in some kind of sense. That being said, it seems like all the time I am hearing from Christian sources cries of panic about the decline of evangelicalism or Christianity in general in America. In particular, I hear Christian panicking about the lack of men in churches and that Church going men are a dying breed, at least in America. I also seem to remember that internet monk, Michael Spencer wrote a significant article before he died on the decline of evangelicalism in America, and many people took this article VERY seriously. Anyway, I'm not here to argue with you or make the case that Christianity is in decline in America. It's just that this message seems to be coming from Christians themselves. What do you make of this?
ReplyDeleteI think the older generation has a tendency to say the younger generation is going to hell in a handbasket. Every decade you have a slew of books about the future of evangelicalism, about the evangelical identity crisis, and so on. The older generation tends to wax nostalgic about its own coming of age.
ReplyDeleteIn general I'm dubious about alleged historical trends in Christianity. That's because human nature remains the same.
Mike said:
ReplyDeleteThat being said, it seems like all the time I am hearing from Christian sources cries of panic about the decline of evangelicalism or Christianity in general in America. In particular, I hear Christian panicking about the lack of men in churches and that Church going men are a dying breed, at least in America.
American has generally been a secular nation. Those who lament the losses of the past tend to have a kind of halcyon view of our nation's first years, one that ignores the fact that perhaps only 30-40% of people were even members of a church, and that church attendance was significantly lower.
I learned these facts at seminary in a church history course, so I think there are Christians who are a bit more sober about the alleged catastrophic declines we face as Evangelicals. They just don't blog about it. (And who would listen? People are more interested in sensational claims than anything else.)