The Prosperity of Pluralism

Pluralism is doing quite well while Christianity seems to be feeling a little ill.

A couple of weeks ago I touched on the spread of mainstream populist tolerance for Islamic law and the potential effects on Christianity in the public forum. Evidence of the complete breakdown of orthodox Christian doctrine in American life is, of course, everywhere. However, it is interesting to note that even within the ranks of those who would state that they believe Jesus’ claim to be The Way, The Truth, and The Life, many also believe that Christ does not have a monopoly on the concept.

In a recent survey of 35,000 adults, a full 57% of “evangelical church attenders” believe that the teaching of other religions can also lead to eternal life. It’s important to avoid a clever play on words—implying that yes, although everyone has eternal life we won’t all be enjoying it—because I don’t think that’s what they had in mind.

The following percentages may not be as surprising, but are nevertheless of concern:

“Nearly across the board, the majority of religious Americans believe many religions can lead to eternal life: mainline Protestants (83 percent), members of historic black Protestant churches (59 percent), Roman Catholics (79 percent), Jews (82 percent) and Muslims (56 percent).”

It is interesting to note that the smallest percentage belongs to the Muslim group—once again; the commitment to their religion should make us look inward.

Furthermore, and perhaps even more interesting,“Another finding almost defies explanation: 21 percent of self-identified atheists said they believe in God or a universal spirit, with 8 percent “absolutely certain” of it.”

WOW—isn’t that telling?  So do not give up on those atheist friends of yours—most of their talk is defensiveness and insecurity anyway.

“The survey shows religion in America is, indeed, 3,000 miles wide and only three inches deep,” said D. Michael Lindsay, a Rice University sociologist of religion. “There’s a growing pluralistic impulse toward tolerance and that is having theological consequences,” he said.

The consequence, or perhaps the cause, is that Americans jump from one belief to another. There is a lack of commitment to their faith and an avoidance of the deep waters of theology where one can truly grow roots and therefore grow strong in their convictions. Without convictions, no one stands on principals—when it comes to anything. Therefore, they are easily swayed—the first clever orator to come along captures their attention, and soon their lives.

Denver Roman Catholic Archbishop Charles Chaput offered a quote which I believe applies to all in the Christian faith:

“Being Catholic means believing what the Catholic church teaches. It is a communion of faith, not simply of ancestry and family tradition. It also means that the church ought to work harder at evangelizing its own members.”

We should all work harder at evangelizing our own members—an often overlooked field ready for the harvest and sometimes desperate to be fed the truth—as painful and exclusionary as it may be. That Jesus is The Way, The Truth and The Life and NO ONE can go to the Father except through the Son.

-AJ Rinaldi

Are Christians at Risk of Becoming An Endangered Species?

What does the future hold for the existence of Christianity in the United States? That’s an interesting question, isn’t it? I think it’s often shrugged off because, after all, we live in a Christian nation, right? Can you imagine a day when a Christian could lose his or her job because of their faith; not that they proclaimed it in the workplace or even in the public schools; but outside of the institution—in their private life?! Imagine no more—the day is here. In fact, it wasn’t even the individual who was “accused” of sharing their faith that was fired—it was guilt by association! Read the story here.

I Am Beginning to Understand What “Post-Christian” Culture Means

Now I do not want to get bogged down in politics—believe me, it would be easy as I am a very politically-minded person. Nevertheless, we should be aware of what is happening in other communities as a foreshadowing of where we could be headed. Consider our European brothers and sisters in the UK. Recently, the Archbishop of Canterbury conceded that the UK will eventually have to consider incorporating elements of Sharia law into the public law. That’s an extreme step for a free European nation—and one we should watch closely. If we lose our moral compass— as some claim has happened in the UK— as a result of the weakening of Christianity, then that vacuum may very well be filled with ideologies that will create an oppressive state of affairs for believers in the US. We should all be asking and observing how far other religious extremists will go to replace Christian thought in the public sector.

We have been blessed with a freedom in this country that millions of Christians around the world do not have. Our plight is nowhere near the real persecution occurring every day around the world. However, Islam is spreading and with it, a subtle, sinister pressure on Christians to be ‘tolerant’—which is a nice way of saying we need to change and adapt to the beliefs of Muslims.

So, to back up and avoid sounding paranoid—what’s the point? Muslims are passionate. They pursue their religion and the attempt to convert others with extreme fanaticism. This is no secret, no great revelation or offensive posturing—it is simply the truth. How about believers in Christ? Ours is the message of hope for eternity and compassion for today. Are we living and communicating the message with these two things in mind? If indeed a moral vacuum exists—are we contributing to it? Like it or not, we are influencers. Compassion and tolerance are not synonymous terms—sometimes being compassionate means sharing a message that is offensive. Although we may not (but you might) have the ability to affect society in big chunks, each of us has a small sphere of personal influence. If you really want to make eternal impact on this culture for tomorrow, work with a passion for Christ and His message within your sphere today.