Cure for the post-Christian blues

A friend recently wrote to ask me for my definition of "post-Christian." It's a tricky term, and it probably gets thrown around too much. But I do think we are living in an increasingly post-Christian culture in this country. I see that primarily in that we can no longer count on people to be familiar with the Christian faith, the church, or the Bible simply by virtue of growing up in our society.

Now, many people have pointed out that society moving in a post-Christian direction is not necessarily such a bad thing. In a culture where everybody is a Christian, is anybody really Christian? Throughout most of the 20th century, it was far too easy for Americans to consider their Christian faith and their American citizenship as one in the same. A good Christian was a good, patriotic American. It was that simple. The danger of that type of confusion has been pointed out by many pastors and theologians in recent years.

Society is more 'secular' than ever, and it is becoming more so everyday. Just last night, I was flipping around the TV and paused at Real Time With Bill Maher and The Colbert Report. In the span of just a couple of minutes watching each show, the two hosts made viscious comments about Christian faith and practice. I know, I know. I should consider the sources. Bill Maher in particular is extremely hostile to religious faith of any kind (and not just Christian). But my point is that it is now completely acceptable to ridicule Christian faith in mainstream media. For Maher, Colbert, and a hundred other TV and radio hosts. And not in a satirical, joking way, but in a way that is designed to denigrate and dismiss.

So what does this mean? It means that a kid growing up watching Bill Maher and Stephen Colbert rather than going to church is going to be formed in a very particular way. Not only will he not be a Christian; he will be hostile to Christianity. And since there are more and more kids every day who are growing up that way, our society is becoming increasingly post-Christian.

This is a huge challenge and a huge opportunity for Christians. It is a challenge because it means we have got to choose whether or not we really want to be Christians. After all, Christian identity is not just a matter of saying "I believe" with John 3:16 and leaving it at that. It is a way of life, to be lived in the place we call the church. So we are challenged to declare our allegiance. Will we go with Joshua, when he says, "As for me and my household, we will serve the LORD" (Joshua 24:15)? Or will we let ourselves slip into a comfortably heathen existence?

And the opportunity? The opportunity is one for faithfulness. For far too long, we have lived as Laodiceans. If Christ returned today (and he might), we Methodists should not be surprised if he looked at us and said, "Because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I am about to spit you out of my mouth" (Rev 3:16). But the transition to a post-Christian society means that the church no longer has to confuse citizenship with discipleship. We can live into a fervent faith. And if we don't, our failure to do so will become much more apparent (much more quickly) to both ourselves and others.

So we should be of good courage. Being Christian in a post-Christian world offers us the chance to practice a faith that has been scarcely seen in our culture's history.