Taking Thoughts Captive

not so random reads from the interwebs

miscellany [ mis-uh-ley-nee], noun 1. a miscellaneous collection or group of various or somewhat unrelated items 2. a miscellaneous collection of literary compositions or pieces by several authors, dealing with various topics, assembled in a volume or book

The things bouncing around my mind this week have been largely centered on the junction of theology and culture. As a Calvinist turned Lutheran, I've always been pessimistic about culture and understood the Church to be at odds against the World, and these articles reflect both that pessimism AND the hope that the Gospel brings, not only to the Church but to the World.

Pope Francis, My Worst Protestant Nightmare. Unless you really like your theology served up with an unhealthy dose of denial, there's no ignoring the fact that Pope Francis was on the left of the theological spectrum and tried to take the Catholic Church away from her conservative stances on many things. Carl Trueman saw in Francis the same liberal, progressive drivel that infected and is now destroying mainline Protestantism—like the United Methodist Church, the Episcopal Church, the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America, and the Presbyterian Church USA. His reflections are an interesting critique.

America After Christianity. John Daniel Davidson starts off this article with a stark assertion, “Whether we realize it or not, the West has entered a new, post-Christian era. What does that mean, exactly? To begin with, it means Christian morality will no longer shape our public life. It also means we will no longer desire or seek out Christians for positions of leadership in society. In fact, we will consider sincere Christians to be bigots and fascists, unfit for positions of public trust. This opinion has already been widely adopted by the mainstream left, and on certain subjects it is now being adopted by the mainstream right. In sum, the de-Christianization of America means that the mainstream culture in our country will not simply be secular or neutral toward Christians; it will be actively hostile towards the Christian faith.” While we could read only this and lament the end of the 'good old days' of a nominally-Christian America, he pushes on, knowing that nature abhors a vacuum, even a vacuum of belief. He asks and answers the question, 'What will replace Christianity as our belief system?' This is a pointed and thought-provoking read.

A Defense of Christian Culture in the Post-Pandemic Era. While on its surface, this article by Canadian pastor Harold Ristau, is a call for Christians to stop being apathetic and disengaged from politics and culture, I think it's important to read this one on the heels of Davidson's on the de-Christianization of America. I say that because Ristau offers an alternative ending, a different conclusion, a more hopeful future. While grounded firmly in reality and not as Pollyanna-ish as Post-Millennial theology, Ristau affirms that all it not lost, especially if God's people take the truths and commands of God's Word seriously as it pertains to our call to be salt and light. Take heart, dear brothers and sisters!