Post Christian America
Posted on April 9, 2009
Filed Under Uncategorized
In a recent article in Newsweek it is reported that the percentage self identified Christians has dropped by 10 points in the last 20 years. Throughout this article the implication is given that the Christian influence in United States is headed towards and end. The article is entitled The End of Christian America.
I don’t want to get into the semantics of whether or not this was ever a Christian country, but it doesn’t take much research to see that this nation was founded on Christian principles.
The core of our laws are based in the Scriptures. That issue is not one of personal interpretation that rather historical fact. That being said I’m not sure how you can view our country as becoming “unchristian”. What may be changing is the general assumption that our laws and morals line up with general “Christian” thinking. The evidence is there that the influence that the church is having on this country is greatly declining. Many others have written on whether this is a good thing or bad thing whether faith and politics can or should really mix.
The part of the article that I take issues with is the implication that this decline in numbers is actually a bad thing. What I believe the numbers represent is the fact that people are beginning to understand that there is a difference between being a follower of Christ and calling yourself a Christian. In our “Christian” nation, everyone easily identify themselves as a part of that faith. It really did not matter whether or not you attended church or follow the teachings of Christ, your status as a Christian was based on the fact that you live in a Christian nation. This diluted the meaning of the title “Christian. With all the attention that has been given to other religions and how those people live out their religious lives, it seems that those who call themselves Christians have had to take a hard look at whether or not they follow the teachings of Jesus.
This article is an indication that people are beginning to recognize that there is a intentional choice that must be made to be a Christian. It is not something you’re born into, it is not part of being an American, it is not simply a regional title. I believe the future the church will actually be stronger as fewer and fewer people claim the title “Christian” without understanding the relationship that exists between the title and the life.
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