The Twilight of Atheism: The Global Triumph of Christianity

cerc ^ | Dinesh D'Souza

[Coleus]

God has come back to life. The world is witnessing a huge explosion of religious conversion and growth, and Christianity is growing faster than any other religion. Nietzsche’s proclamation “God is dead” is now proven false. Nietzsche is dead.

“The era of Western Christianity has passed within our lifetimes, and the day of Southern Christianity is dawning.”1 - Philip Jenkins, The Next Christendom

The ranks of the unbelievers are shrinking as a proportion of the world’s population. Secularism has lost its identification with progress and modernity, and consequently it has lost the main source of its appeal. God is very much alive, and His future prospects look to be excellent. This is the biggest comeback story of the twenty-first century.

If God is back, why don’t we see it? The reason is that many of us live in the wrong neighborhood. “Visit a church at random next Sunday,” Brent Staples writes in the New York Times, “ and you will probably encounter a few dozen people sprinkled thinly over a sanctuary that was built to accommodate hundreds or even thousands.” Yes, I’ve seen the “empty pews and white-haired congregants” that Staples describes.2 But then, Staples lives in New York and I live in California. We live among people who are practically atheist.

Of course my neighbors do not think of themselves as atheist. Very few of them belong to atheist organizations or subscribe to atheist literature. Some of them who are highly educated like to think of themselves as agnostic: they haven’t made up their minds because the evidence simply isn’t in yet. Others even consider themselves Christian, either because they were born that way or because they attend church occasionally.

[Salvation]

**The ranks of the unbelievers are shrinking as a proportion of the world’s population. Secularism has lost its identification with progress and modernity, and consequently it has lost the main source of its appel.**

I had not thought about this in these terms. It would seem to be good news for us!

[Salvation]

**God is very much alive, and His future prospects look to be excellent. This is the biggest comeback story of the twenty-first century.**

I pray this is so.

[VOA]

“The Twilight of Atheism: The Global Triumph of Christianity”

As for “The Twilight of Atheism”....here’s a link to the fine book
under the same title.
Written by a fellow whose Oxford offices are about a stone’s throw
from those of Richard Dawkins.

The Twilight of Atheism: The Rise and Fall of Disbelief in
the Modern World
by Alister McGrath
http://www.amazon.com/Twilight-Atheism-Disbelief-Modern-World/dp/0385500629/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1196307249&sr=1-1

[Chickensoup]

I imagine whether the beliver is Christian or Moslem would make a difference in the kind of world we have.

[Freedom'sWorthIt]

Thanks for the post.

Yes, the increase of Christian conversions in so many unlikely locales is really stunning. South America and Africa and in Asia and in India even - Christianity is booming.

Also, here in central NC, I visited 3 churches (for different reasons) in 3 weeks and every one was PACKED to overflowing. One was a Presbyterian, one was an Episcopalian, and one was an Independent Baptist church. All protestant. Different levels of “orthodoxy” you might say - different emphasis in each church - but all 3 booming!!!

So, Dinesh - come to North Carolina and visit around. You wll be heartened.

I think many Americans - Christian or not - sense things getting “darker” on the horizon and a hunger for the real true God - the God of the Bible - the triune God - Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. It’s tough times that bring people to God in large numbers often. And, then, it might just be an outpouring of the Holy Spirit......through God’s grace......touching and changing lives all over the world as only the Holy Spirit can do!