<\/p>\n
\u201cOnly when something is lost can it be found. Only when something dies can it be born again.\u201d [1]<\/a><\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n I have lamented over the past week about the current state of the United States. It has been an extremely challenging time for me, so difficult that I have had to protect my peace by limiting the conversations that I engage in. I have declined invitations to events and performed ANOTHER sweep of my social media accounts, hiding or unfollowing folk that are posting ugly messages. I am weary and feel like my faith in humanity is fading. This is an unfamiliar space for me. My expectations of people that profess to follow Christ is greater than what I am seeing in this political season.<\/p>\n I reluctantly picked up Losing Our Religion<\/em> to read. Carrying all the emotions of a disappointed Christian, I picked it up not expecting what I found. Surprisingly, it provided just what I needed. Russell Moore deconstructs Evangelical Christianity with honesty and transparency. He addresses many of the things that I am struggling with providing a perspective that I needed. I wish that I could say that I felt better, I did not but I did gain a clearer understanding of some of the motivations of Evangelical Christians, at least from his vantage point. Honestly, I still remain a bit weary about the future. Moore offered this quote from C.S. Lewis, “Knowing that, we can be faithful in the moment, even when we don\u2019t know the future, the outcome, our success or failure or even how to gauge those things.\u201d [2]<\/a> I suppose that I can be faithful and still hold an uncertainly about the future. It is a confusing space to be in, but it is where I am currently.<\/p>\n The awfulness that exists inside all of us has been amplified in a horrendous way in this election season. I have read the most awful comments about immigrants, people of color, the LGTBQIA community, and women of all races written by Christians. It has been truly discouraging, frightening, and simply put-confusing. As a consideration, Moore shares, \u201cLewis reminds us, the crises we face are unveilings of awful realities, heightened manifestations of awful things, but they are all preexisting conditions. We don\u2019t know what the future holds-for our democracy, for our church.\u201d [3]<\/a> It is difficult, at times, to cling to the belief in humanity, in people\u2019s ability to act as Christians. Moore offers two rhetorical questions that he describes, \u201care very real questions, but they are heightened intensifications of what we face every second of our lives.\u201d [4]<\/a> I felt compelled to offer a commentary to these questions.\u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 \u00a0 He asks:<\/p>\n I am left with more questions about how to hold all of these things and remain faithful, hopeful, and loving when I see these things rapidly disappearing around me. I am also left with a deep disappointment that I don\u2019t know what to do with and a fear that gives me concern for the future of the nation, the future of the church. Perhaps the most profound statement\/question that Moore shares is also the starting point for the way forward. He states, \u201cYou can resolve to do better for future generations, but you are only one person. What can you do to follow Christ in a time when the church seems to be losing credibility at rapid pace?\u201d [7]<\/a> We can follow Christ and should do so for future generations. Although we are limited in our individual power, our collective power can promote meaningful change in the world and in the Church. I am desperately trying to cling to this!<\/p>\n [1]<\/a> Russell Moore, Losing Our Religion: An Altar Call for Evangelical America<\/em> (NY, NY: Sentinel, an imprint of Penguin Random House LLC, 2023), 25.<\/p>\n [2]<\/a> Ibid., 51.<\/p>\n [3]<\/a> Ibid., 51.<\/p>\n [4]<\/a> Ibid., 51.<\/p>\n\n