By Jim on
Anything Else
Pew Research

Maybe Christianity In America Is Dying Because It’s Boring Everyone To Death

Survey fail - Christianity isn’t dying: Ed Stetzer

Is Christianity Dying?

NYTimes: Big Drop in Share of Americans Calling Themselves Christian

Discussion

Fri, 05/15/15

Al Mohler is looking into this study on his podcast as well - http://www.albertmohler.com/2015/05/13/the-briefing-05-13-15/. I think he said that he will talk about it a few times, but so far it’s been just that first episode.

"Our task today is to tell people — who no longer know what sin is...no longer see themselves as sinners, and no longer have room for these categories — that Christ died for sins of which they do not think they’re guilty." - David Wells

Mon, 05/18/15

Now as someone who pretends to be a thinking man, I have to nod my head to those who pointed out that this is merely a spike in people being honest, but I’ve got to admit that sometimes our attempts at being relevant are just plain boring. I remember a coworker off my wife’s noting that our “seeker-sensitive” church was “church light.” Not a compliment, and it wasn’t going to lure this guy—who had dressed for work for Halloween once as Gene Simmons—from the pagan life at all. We have something very different and beautiful to offer—let’s act like it.

Aspiring to be a stick in the mud.

Fri, 05/22/15

Excerpt:

“As you may know, last week the Pew Research Center published their findings on religion in America. The report demonstrated a decline in adults who identify as Christians. The percentages have fallen from 78.4% in 2007 to 70.6% in 2014. As a result, some have been concluding for a while now, that Christianity is dying in America.

I say, “Let it die.” Let me explain.

Christianity, for many in America, is a “default religion.” Many people identify with Christianity because of family upbringing, cultural norms, or personal values. But that’s not true Christianity! True Christianity is a life transformation through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. It isn’t Christianity by association; but Christianity by salvation. It is this very “Christianity by association” that created such high poll numbers in the first place. If that is what they mean by “Christianity is dying” then let it die!”

http://www.wesfeltner.org/blog/why-im-glad-christianity-is-dying/

Tue, 05/26/15

As the short article in the post above points out, large numbers of Americans in the past have self-identified as Christians due to cultural reasons. They claimed to be Christians oftentimes for no better reasons than being born in America (“We’re a Christian nation, right?”), being baptized as an infant, because they out of habit go to church twice a year (Christmas & Easter), or other nominal reasons. Nobody on SI (I hope) would ever believe that > 78% of Americans were ever actual (biblical, authentic, born-again) Christians. As I frequently heard growing up in fundamentalism, people need to “get lost before they can get saved” (i.e. acknowledge their need for a Savior). If more people give up the pretense, the charade, then I’d say that’s a step in the right direction toward filling that need.