These and other factors suggest... ...the beginning of a major shift away from a robust white evangelical presence in the South. Or, so concludes the scholar of religious history, Martin Marty. I dont mind being one of those speculators to whom Marty is leaving the drawing of conclusions, as he does in this post, when it comes to the cultural, social, and religious changes taking place across the religious landscape in America. For what its worth, heres my hunch: I think the following things will happen in many, if not most, churches in America over the next few decades - irrespective of whether those churches are Catholic, Evangelical, or Protestant. 1. I think we have not yet seen the worst consequences of the aging of most churches or the declines and departure from almost all churches. In other words, I think the worst declines are yet to come. Thom Rainer, researcher with Southern Baptists, predicts as many as 10,000 church closures this year alone. I think hes overstating it. That a Southern Baptist researcher, however, is finally admitting that even Southern Baptists are behind the 8-ball is itself amazing. But the actual number is probably closer to 6,000 to 8,000 closures. This trend will continue. In my opinion, of course. I could be wrong. Well see. 2. A second thing I see is this: The overly optimistic will continue to resist reality and do everything to rearrange the deck chairs on the proverbial Church-Tantic. And, theyll do this so things dont look so bleak. Some of them dont talk to me much anymore because they think Im a pessimist and that I dont like the Church or am hopeful it does decline and die. They dont know me one iota. Im neither a pessimist nor a hater of the Church. Facts are facts, however. I try to stick with facts. Consequently, I view the overly hopeful as I did the instrumentalists in the actual movie Titanic who, even as the ship was sinking, were still playing their musical instruments, oblivious to what was happening. The optimists point to the few churches where there is growth. And, yes, some are. But even their numbers are diminishing. Frankly, however, Id like to be optimistic, too, and join the enthusiasts in their enthusiasm. But Im just in and out of too many churches all across America, across all denominational lines, and whats happening here is happening everywhere in America. The church as we know it...the Church as I have known it, served it, and loved it...is dying. Maybe slowly in some places. But it is dying, nonetheless. And, whatever survives, if any of it, will never be as I remember. Nor as you remember it. And, frankly, that might not be so bad. More on that in a moment. 3. A third trend I see: Fundamentalist churches will become more and more rigid, judgmental, and, as a consequence, smaller and more and more marginalized in the decades ahead. Leaders in these churches, instead of changing their theology - which, btw, in many respects, sucks, theyll hunker down as if they hold the corner on truth. If you dont know religious history, here it is - all religions adjust their theology to fit the changing seasons - anybody with a thimbles worth of historical knowledge knows that what Im describing here is a fact of religious history. Instead of these churches, however, and their leaders adapting their theology to a world that has moved beyond them, they will more and more convince their blind followers that their diminishing numbers are a sign of the end times. This way, instead of having to think for themselves, grapple with real-world issues, adapt, or get creative in their theology and outreach to the world, they will hide behind their groundless theologies like five-point Calvinist can easily do - and develop a smug, self-righteous attitude that nauseatingly declares, even without declaring it, We are the chosen few...the rest of you are damned. See, even the Bible says so. And, were the people of the BOOK! What a crock of bullshit! Their theology is more anti-Christ than the AntiChrist himself. Theirs is a theology for losers who live in fear, label everyone who disagrees with them as a heretic and, all the while, busy themselves plucking hairs out of others eyes while choking, even killing, their churches with theological hairballs. 4. Surprisingly, however, I do have a word of optimism, after-all. There is one other trend I am thinking about a great deal these days. Strange as it may seem to you, I actually believe mainline churches - which, historically, have suffered the steepest declines over the last quarter to half a century - mainline churches might just have an opportunity here for what could be akin to a resurrection. Many of the mainline churches, Protestant, have changed OR, are changing their theology, and welcoming, for example, the LGBT communities. Witness the just-released book by the Evangelical ethicist and scholar, David Gushee: “Changing Our Mind: A Call from Americas Leading Evangelical Ethics Scholar for Full Acceptance of LGBT Christians in the Church.” Wow! Can you imagine the bombshell this will have on the ultra-conservative congregations in America? These mainline churches, on the other hand, are becoming more accepting. Many of them have for some years now. They are growing more and more socially conscious, racially, environmentally, even globally diverse, too. They are showing interest in actually taking Jesus seriously, as well as his radical teachings of compassion and justice, and, as a consequence, these churches may actually find in their transformed ways of being the Church that others, even those who once left them, start growing again and many returning. Who knows? This may be the Churchs hope -- maybe the Churchs ONLY hope -- for a meaningful future in America. Just a few of my thoughts on where the Church may be heading. A few of my hopes, too.
Posted on: Tue, 28 Oct 2014 19:33:15 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015