The end of 'Christianity lite' is near

Edmonton Sun ^ | December 21, 2003 | TED BYFIELD

[nickcarraway]

Forgive me for playing prophet, but I think this will be the last Christmas of the 20th century. Yes, I know that the 20th century actually ended a few years ago, but I'm thinking of it as an era. This Christmas a certain era will end.

Call it the era of Christianity lite. Much popular religion of the century descended into mere feel-goodism. Gone was all serious reference to sin, repentance, suffering, atonement, evil, anything unpleasant.

God was in heaven and all was rosy. Say your prayers, try not to hurt anybody, never be "judgmental," and everything will come out right. Business will go well. The kids will behave. You'll never get sick. You'll acquire lots of "stuff." The Father in heaven became a Grandfather in heaven.

Christmas was similarly sterilized. When we were given anything beyond Santa Claus, coloured lights and canned carols, we might actually see a baby, a manger or a star. But Herod's massacre of the children in Bethlehem was certainly never mentioned, nor the dire warning to Mary: "A sword will pierce your soul also" (Luke 2:35).

It was rarely acknowledged that all this unrelieved sweetness and light was much at odds with the Christianity of the New Testament or the actual experience of Christians through much of their history or what ordinarily happens to us ordinary people. Business did not always go well, kids did not always behave, people did in fact get sick (and died, too) and along with all the "stuff" came credit card bills that are now, we're told, astronomical. So 20th century people gradually slipped away from the churches on the sufficient grounds that what they were saying seemed utterly unreal. Such was the era of Christianity lite.

There is convincing evidence now, however, that the era is over, and that the 21st century will see some fundamental changes. I don't mean a massive return to the church, but rather a massive turn of the churches away from Christianity lite.

The after-effect of 9-11 has been a general decline in the credibility of what's called "post-modernism," the belief there are no such things as moral truths. You have your moral truths, I have mine and no version whatever can claim to be really true. This means that the people who deliberately murdered 3,000 innocent civilians had just as good a claim to be right as those who thought otherwise. Nobody, apart perhaps from professors of "ethics," can swallow that line any more, and this has thrown the whole post-modern phenomenon into doubt.

The continuing probability of terror, wrought in the name of an Islamic God, will spur more and more thought about who or what God actually is.

A "spiritual" awakening is going on. According to a recent cover story in Time, Canadians are flocking into prayer groups that meet outside of churches, though they're often sponsored by churches. Such a ferment has preceded every major religious revival. They begin as strictly non-institutional, but they rarely remain that way. Genuine "spirituality" makes people want to do things for God. So corporate action follows and some sort of institution becomes necessary. "Spirituality," in other words invariably turns into "religion."

This may sound extreme, but I think it will happen. Mel Gibson's movie, The Passion, will prove to be the most attended Hollywood movie ever made. (This excludes, of course, the Campus Crusade movie Jesus which is already and by far the most attended movie ever made, but it is not usually considered a Hollywood product.)

The Gibson production is emphatically not Christianity Lite. It portrays the crucifixion for what it was, "a bloody, dusty, sweaty and sordid business." That is, it follows the New Testament account. Never has a movie received so much advance attention - an 18-page review in the New Yorker, columns in every major American newspaper, sophisticated Washington crowds openly weeping. It will hit very hard.

So consider this the last Merry Christmas in the age of Christianity lite. The new century will see a new Christianity which in fact is the old one. And a very different Christmas. Less sugary, but far more real. And it's about time.

[MHGinTN]

Sadly, I must agree. I'm deeply involved in trying to awaken my fellow Americans to the cannibalism of embryonic stem cell exploitation and the coming cloning push. Not having much success though.

[bethelgrad]

I've read Purpose/Church and Life and never got the impression that Warren was weak. He's not fire and brimstone, but that doesn't mean he's weak. I think the accusation that he's just marketing religion by dumbing down the gospel is unfair. People need to be loved into the kingdom and thats what he's doing. That's not shameful. People need a relationship with Jesus. That's what he offers. In doing so he affirms their worth in the eyes of God. I just don't see how that is bad.

Personally, I think a lot of smaller churches, of which I serve in, who are overly critical are often more jealous of megachurch success. They continue "doing" worship as if it were 1953 and not 2003. The end result is that the churches who fail to understand this culture will die, while others will reap a huge harvest. Some churches will not recognize anyone who does not believe exactly as they believe. That is nonsense.

[PetroniusMaximus]

As much as I abohr justifying that mocking birdwoman...

I think we do agree. - Prov 27:17


(wink to the birdwoman)

[Cultural Jihad]

A 'thanks for posting this' BTTT.

[sissydi]

Mr. Risin, your words are absolutely true! We have been fighting this "movement" in our church for two years. Your right; the potential pastors we have interviewed are all OVER this book, this way of thinking, and will argue vehemently about not offending anyone with the truth in the Gospel. Their sermons are very watered down so as not to scare anyone off. It's all a fake, a phony spiritually, that is so devoid of any truth of Christ, that you learn essentially nothing, and any deep Bible study is discouraged. We have finally left, in search of real teaching. Please everyone, make sure your church isn't following these principles..........Sissy

[MHGinTN]

Long arm of the World Council Of Churches whoredom

[PetroniusMaximus]

The way they are phrasing it in our church is we shouldn't use religious language a seeker wouldn't understand. The buzzword is "culturally accessible"

How that translates - Very little teaching about the grand scheme of salvation (heaven, hell, spiritual life etc...) and a whole lot of talk about how Jesus can improve your interpersonal relationships.

[PetroniusMaximus]

Related post...

The New Old-Time Religion
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/1033758/posts

[sissydi]

bethelgrad, read a little deeper! No one is saying we shouldn't lead people to Christ with love. But to water down scripture to give the masses what their itching ears want to hear is wrong. Warren is trying to do the Holy Spirit's work here.....he is all about "church growth". The whole book is nothing more than a business model for bringing people in. TEACH THE WORD, the WHOLE WORD in your church, and you will see true growth!

[sissydi]

Absolutely! I have seen this teaching first hand folks.....there was a total lack of basic knowledge of the Word in exchange for psycho-babble commentary on how to "improve" our lives. So sad people are being sucked into this philosophy.

[BibChr]

Here's a link with good info and links

http://www.goforgod.com/seeker/

Dan

[kanawa]

I was at Pearson International in Toronto today and was very much surprised and pleased to see a large Nativity scene in the departure area.

[Jorge]

The middle ground is dissapearing. Churches that try to stay 'Chrsitian-lite' are being pulled off the fence, mostly towards the radical homosexual activist side.

Very few churches accept gay Christianity as a valid theology.
The majority acknowledge that the Bible is clear on homosexuality being a sin.

[goodnesswins]

you're kidding??? What is happening in Canada....there's another thread today of an Edmonton writer about the "end of the 20th Century of Christmas"....essentially about people getting more "religious."

[Ruy Dias de Bivar]

**The Christian is under an obligation to follow ALL the teachings of Christ.***

The scribes and pharisees set in Moses' seat.
All therefore whatsoever they bid you observe, that observe and do; but do not ye after their works: for they say and do not.
Matthew 23.2-4

IS THIS STILL VALID FOR US TO DO?

[bethelgrad]

"The whole book is nothing more than a business model for bringing people in"


So there should be no strategy on reaching people? No plan? In saying that its "nothing more than a business model" makes me think you didn't read it. If you have indeed read it and still come to that same conclusion then you are judging his motives. Are you sure that you should be doing that? Especially since he is careful to make sure his model honors Christ. If you don't like his strategy thats fine. But to malign his motives is just plain wrong and unworthy of someone who names Christ as Savior.

BTW, in what way does he water down the gospel? Be specific and try to avoid the "nothing but" universals.

[kanawa]

I kid thee not! I'd guesstimate the display was 15' long by 5' deep.

What is happening in Canada...?

9/11 shook many people awake. One person awake with their actions and words begin to awaken others.

I did a search for the thread you mentioned but could not find it. Would you have the link to it by any chance?

[PetroniusMaximus]

You know, it's similar to the verse which says...

"Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift."

Of course the issue is the fact that Herod's temple no longer exists... therefore we can not bring our gift to the "alter". Though Christ's command cannot be fulfilled literally, it can be fulfilled in spirit. i.e.. If I come to church to worship and realize a brother has something against me (or I have something against him...)You get the point.

The issue in the verse at hand is similar to what Paul teaches with "...honor to whom honor is due" i.e. Respect for rightful authority (remembering that the Law of Moses at this point was the religious and secular law of the Jewish nation.) As one commentator has put it "...Many a good place is filled with bad men; it is no new thing for the vilest men to be exalted even to Moses’s seat (Ps. 12:8); and, when it is so, the men are not so much honored by the seat as the seat is dishonored by the men." Further:
http://bible.crosswalk.com/Commentaries/MatthewHenryComplete/mhc-com.cgi?book=mt&chapter=23#Mt23_2

So even though that specific temporal situation is in the past, the spirit of what Christ taught is applicable today. One application: don't become involved with the violent overthrow of the government. Another: Give honor to the President even if he is an immoral man. Another: Don't attack and defame your minister even if he is a deceiver - let God take him out.

Long answer - sorry. Good question though!

[goodnesswins]

Here's the thread I was speaking of....

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1044571/posts