The End of Casual Christianity
Interpretations and spins are still being given to the recent national study about the decline of the institutional church. One of the most interesting includes this one* from The Washington Post —
Jim Daly, the president of Focus on the Family — once mission control for the traditional family-values side of the culture wars — calls Christians to be “a joyful minority.”
“We are no longer effective at persuasion because we lack humility,” says Daly. “Some in the faith community are losing legitimacy among younger people because many Christians only speak truth and fail to do truth.”
And “doing truth” leads back to the personalism at the heart of Christian faith — a belief that every human being is valuable, and broken, and in need of grace.
“We must always consider the person,” says Pope Francis, a heavy influence on evangelicals seeking a new model of social engagement.
A faith characterized by humility and considering the person would be busy enough.
The prevailing culture counts both virtues and victims. The broad decline of institutions leaves many people betrayed, lonely and broken — not only unaffiliated with religion but unaffiliated with family, with community and with all the commitments that give meaning to freedom. And this social role is difficult to play with an angry and anxious public face. — What do you think? ——————— * http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/the-end-of-casual-christianity/2015/05/25/75e6b06c-009f-11e5-833c-a2de05b6b2a4_story.html
joescheets 
This is something I have toyed with writing about and yet had to think about it last few days before commenting. In fact, I did comment earlier this month in your offerings when I was talking about Liberal and conservative churches. I believe those “conservative christians”, I believe they prefer the term “fundamentalist”, have too much emphasis on Paul’s letters in the New Testament instead of the Good News in the Gospels. I realize I was talking about segregating churches based on perceived sins. Paul was quick to point out his point of view on sins and rules. Paultians (my new term for fundamentalists) are hardliners for rules with no give for the grace that Christ provided.
From their very public picture of “Christianity”, I have friends, outside the church, who feel they will only be ridiculed, demeaned, you know, a modern day form of stoning. While pretending not to have logs in their eyes the fundamentalists point out the speck in those “betrayed, lonely, and broken” people. Paul on steroids. Paul was a man of God; there is no doubt about that. He was also once a Roman Soldier and had a difficult time putting that Roman tradition in the rearview mirror. More often than not career soldiers expect home to be as shipshape as their soldiers are. They just have a hard time balancing rigidity with relaxation.
Paul wrote some of the most beautiful letters, yet he also advised on things he knew nothing about as though he were Christ and not a follower of Christ. Fundamentalist candidates for office look down on non-Christians (and I would go so far as to say non-non-denominationals) and make the ‘less-thans’ feel lower than algae and push them even further outside the church.
I feel like, during lay witness missions in the ‘70s, we brought the Good News, the news that no one was could be so far, in any direction, outside the love of God. Jesus gave his life to make sure of that. I am making statements here, possibly incoherent, that I avoid in general public opinion for fear I will come off as unappealing as those making all the judgments and putting parameters on who is worthy of Christianity. In the past 12 years, I feel the worst enemy of the catholic (small C) church has been and are the self-righteous right (okay, I made it political).
For the traditional public, those feeling no place in their faith community, attraction really needs to be walking the walk and not just talking the talk. There was a news item last night on a congressman, former congressman, is being indicted by the IRS by breaking several tax laws in under-reporting his income and assets. The reporter made the remark it is hard to enforce income tax law when the lawmakers are not keeping the law. As I have said for many years, in the fruitless argument between works and faith is answered by, living your faith and that covers both. If you live it, your works are a part. Mary/Martha, Jesus pointed out that both are vital, but learning/worshiping is the key.
The church today has strayed too far from the meaning of attraction to the beating down of would-be parishioners and making them feel unwelcome before they ever walk in a door. Frankly so many have been shoved away before tasting grace; I wouldn’t be surprised if they make up almost all of the changes in the numbers. , I am troubled by the when or how we stopped sharing the Christian values and dictating them as Paul did.
Or not.
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