In keeping with Christian tradition
Realizing now that I live in a nation of heretics fills me with mixed emotions. On the one hand I feel at home, recognizing that there are certainly aspects of my own faith expression that are heretical to orthodox Christianity, whether or not I know what they are. On the other hand, there is a considerable frustration with the cultural Christianity with which I am surrounded, particularly living
in the ‘Bible Belt’ of the US. With it comes many of the particular heresies highlighted by Ross Douthat in his book Bad Religion. While I concur with some of his arguments and affirm his list of current heresies, I find myself less concerned with the cultural shift than he appears to be. Perhaps this is because I hope to see in the US a more genuine and less culturally acceptable form of faith than the current iteration.
In keeping with the apparent theme of the readings this semester, Douthat highlights what seems to be the most insidious heresy, one that we have dealt with throughout the semester, that of the prosperity gospel. Closely connected to the materialistic, hedonistic, consumeristic culture of the US in which it is immersed, the Christian church has failed to significantly distinguish itself in this regard. “Ross Douthat identifies problematic modern Christianities that, by conventional standards, stand as heretical alternatives to the gospel message of sacrifice, charity, asceticism, and worship of the transcendent.”[1] (Stout) To my way of thinking, this is the most significant issue facing the Church in the US, one that will continue to undermine any genuine authority or attempt to shift the culture to a more Christocentric focus. American Christianity has become lost in a morass of “pundits confusing the biblical city on a hill and its rigorous demands for justice and mercy with a nationalistic city on a hill and its smug sanctification of the American way of life.”[2]
The startling thing about the significant weakening of the Church’s influence in the US over the past 50 years is that much of the destruction has come from internal sources. Mirroring Abraham 
Lincoln’s Lyceum address as the US Civil War was looming on the horizon, in this address he stated; “At what point then is the approach of danger to be expected? I answer, if it ever reach us, it must spring up amongst us. It cannot come from abroad. If destruction be our lot, we must ourselves be its author and finisher.”[3] It is ultimately the heresies, even those developed as responses to the changing tide of cultural acceptance of orthodox Christianity, that have undermined the faith from within. As the national faith become more political, polarized, accommodating and frantic in its attempt to retain adherents and maintain influence, it seems that the ecumenical center was permanently lost.
Some of this criticism may be warranted, but when he suggests that the most significant internal struggles have been brought about by higher criticism, the Jesus Seminar and questions regarding the nature of the scriptures, he does so with seemingly little regard for the historical precedents for all of these questions.[4] The Church has wrestled with these issues for the entirety of its existence. And while periodically a variety heresies were expelled or dismissed, the challenges faced by the Church have been consistent throughout.
Critics have argued, and I would concur, that Douthat’s thesis of the; “American religion [that] declined from a Golden Age in the 1950s to an Iron Age in the 2000s is overargued.”[5] It seems that in every generation there is a wistful glance backward to a simpler, better time while the challenges that occurred are glossed over. No doubt future generations will look back at the contemporary era pining for the simple times of hand-held technology and moral clarity. Laughable to us who are living in the midst of it, but just wait and see.
While it is evident that the tide of cultural acceptance has completely turned and therefore a return to the post WW II days, highlighted by Douthat when Christian influence was at an intellectual and cultural pinnacle, is unlikely, there is little doubt that authentic Christian faith expression is as vital to our cultural landscape as ever. However, it is the infighting that will most likely prevent any genuine revival of Christian faith to occur. Arguments over the interpretation of scripture, social justice issues, questions regarding marriage and moral issues etc. all hinder the Church from presenting a unified front that demonstrates the essence of the Gospel to people who desire an experience of the transcendent.
The high point of cultural influence was heady and seemed that it would go on in perpetuity. No one anticipated the rapidness with which that position would diminish and the ensuing economic trials that have come as a result continue to plague the institutions established during the church’s cultural zenith. It appears to me that this economic and numerical challenge is what is driving the introspection and soul searching the Church has undergone since. Perhaps it would be better to embrace the return to the status of cultural outcasts and thus be in position to practice the countercultural Gospel evident at the time of Jesus and in the first few centuries of the early church.
This will happen when we stop seeking simplistic and trite answers to complicated questions. As Douthat wisely reminds readers; “the Christian tradition is uniquely comfortable preaching dogmas that can seem like riddles, offering answers that swiftly lead to further questions, and confronting believers with the possibility that the truth about God passes all understanding.”[6] Pandering to vapid cultural trends in order to please people, grasping at lost cultural influence, mourning over economic challenges in the wake of reduction in adherents seems to me to be the antithesis of what has been the historical trajectory of the Christian faith. Whether or not Douthat is correct in his summation of the rise and fall of Christian influence in the US may be interesting fodder to consider, but far less important than whether or not the Church continues to hold to the orthodox tenets of the faith, consistently reflecting the life of the risen Jesus.
[1] Stout, Harry. “”Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics.”” First Things 226 (2012): 55-57. Accessed March 17, 2018.
[2] Wacker, Grant. “”Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics.”” The Christian Century 129, no. 18 (2012): 32-33. Accessed March 17, 2018.
[3] “Lyceum Address.” Abraham Lincoln’s Lyceum Address. Accessed March 23, 2018. http://www.abrahamlincolnonline.org/lincoln/speeches/lyceum.htm.
[4] Van Der Weele, Steve. “”Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics.”” Calvin Theological Journal 48, no. 1 (2013): 155-57. Accessed March 17, 2018.
[5] Wacker, Grant. “”Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics.”” The Christian Century 129, no. 18 (2012): 32-33. Accessed March 17, 2018.
[6] Douthat, Ross Gregory. Bad Religion: How We Became a Nation of Heretics. New York: Free Press, 2013. P. 10
About the Author
Dan Kreiss
Former director of the Youth Ministry program at King University in Bristol, TN and Dean of the School of Missions. I have worked in youth ministry my entire life most of that time in New Zealand before becoming faculty at King. I love helping people recognize themselves as children of God and helping them engage with the world in all its diversity. I am particularly passionate about encouraging the church to reflect the diversity found in their surrounding community in regard to age, gender, ethnicity, education, economic status, etc. I am a husband, father of 4, graduate of Emmanuel Christian Seminary, an avid cyclist and fly-fisherman still trying to figure out what I want to be when I grow up.6 responses to “In keeping with Christian tradition”
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Great insights Dan and I always love the creative pictures you put with your posts in the perfect spot. Your statement, “Whether or not Douthat is correct in his summation of the rise and fall of Christian influence in the US may be interesting fodder to consider, but far less important than whether or not the Church continues to hold to the orthodox tenets of the faith, consistently reflecting the life of the risen Jesus.” said it beautifully. The church has to model itself after the example of Jesus Christ if we are going to win future generations for the Kingdom.
Hi Dan,
Yes, I too am a heretic, although I feel a better word might be “hypocrite”.
I noticed our author hammered Larry Burkett, although Burkett soundly disagreed with the prosperity gospel. Personally, Burkett helped my family TREMENDOUSLY, but yet Douthat hammered him. I beg to differ.
Great finish, “whether or not the Church continues to hold to the orthodox tenets of the faith, consistently reflecting the life of the risen Jesus.” I agree, that is paramount!
Have a great spring break!
Dan,
Your call to be cultural outcasts is a great one. As Christians I get the feeling that is where the church does its best work on the fringe. It seems as the center of civilization is where we tend to do a lot of damage, what do you think?
Jason
Great post Dan. I am often drawn to…and warned…to Galatians 1:6-7, which reads, “I marvel that you are turning so soon from Him who called you in the grace of Christ, to a different gospel, which is not another; but there are some who trouble you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ.” It is the scripture I desire to use as my reminder that there has been, and always will be someone who wants to change those things we have been taught. I do not need to limit it to one country, one time-period, or even one religious organization; I just have to remember that the threat is there. It is up to those who love God to not allow their influence to interfere with the Truth.
Thanks for this,Dan. I’m curious about your experience of any of these trends in NZ. Did the prosposerity Gospel get any traction there?
I too think that some of the cultural shifts are not necessarily negative. You wrote-“Laughable to us who are living in the midst of it, but just wait and see.” Sure enough as bell bottoms and parachute pants became laughable so will some of our worries. Great comparison. I have been reminding for several books now how we as the people of God have looked to those “simplistic” answers as if they were golden nuggets. We have forgotten how to think or teach our people to do so. Great to focus and end on the risen Lord.