That specificity in religious faith has been fading over recent decades since the two world wars appears to be obvious. That there has been growth in evangelical accented movements, especially in Pentecostal fellowships there is ample evidence, but the growth has been modest when compared to the expansion of secular populations and the erosion of religious ones in this third millennium since Jesus Christ’s earthly sojourn. During this past week, the most eminent Christian evangelist of the world, Billy Graham, made a statement at age 95 to express the need for spiritual renewal. They are his dying words to the world.
Losses in Christian oriented denominations, even those constructed on a firm evangelism of born again preaching in evangelical appeal have diluted somewhat from firm scriptural interpretation. Shifts toward secularism have become obvious. The decline is large as in the Catholic context with inadequate numbers entering the priesthood, and losses in lay membership. The newly elected Pope Francis appears set to recover from some of the decay, and strengthen the male clergy away from serious conduct violations. Women have stepped in to assist in professional clergy. In the protestant communities the service concept to aid the poor, sick, violated, war stricken, socially denied, uneducated, neglected children and abused women have somewhat increased in number, serving excellent stewardship in faith based institutions. Movements like Samaritan’s Purse, The Salvation Army, Prison Fellowship are doing well against an enormous tide of need. Support has been received from private foundations, and wealthy citizens to encounter human needs, but many of the older groups have gradually moved away from the spiritual orientation that founded and carried them for long periods. In comparing their publicity materials I have commonly found fewer references to the original motivation honoring Jesus Christ than were present in older materials. Some have dropped clear references to Christian identity or motivation for ministry.
One of the most meaningful stories is that of Christian institutions of learning. Many Christian colleges have significantly improved campuses, programs, service related assignments for learning experience in a troubled world. So effective has this movement been that some evangelical institutions have adopted the establishment of colleges as a means for missions. The movement, both at home and abroad, is one of the entrancing successes of church people seeking education, value orientation and evangelical mission. The greatest threat, when we make careful analysis, is the common tendency to decay in the articulation of the Christian foundation, so to meet the constant magnetic pressure of secularism that dominates general society. The erosion seems to occur faster in recent decades than in the more distant history of the church and education. Movements rise for the call to Christian life, only to fade within a few years to charity only. The decline is a scandal for biblical Christianity. It is illustrated in the ups and downs of Israel in the Old Testament. It could be illustrated in a number of movements in my own lifetime. The world is so much with us that we find tackling the secular problems easier than maintaining faith in the human context.
There is a sense in which some losses are mitigated. When a good program or institution fails, a new one may be born. God insinuates himself in some way, and a tide returns to offer fresh approaches, find new ways of doing things, with the return of the divine partnership offering more than mortal benefit only. There may be as many persons, in percentage numbers, worldwide who believe in God as there ever were. If so the message has not achieved growth to increase. A problem is that the belief may be generic. Without identification there is too much missing to give adequate meaning to a movement. God is not known if not identified. He then offers less involvement if we are uncaring about the matter. Treated as a stranger God follows a different course than that he offers in faith and prayer, related to those who are concerned about more than mortality. His modus operandi and place of relationship is well defined. That partnership is available to any person in any period of time for more than mortality has to offer. Our charity partly repays beneficiaries for their time to consider eternal verities to their lives – forevermore. *Mark W. Lee, Sr. — 2016, 2020