American Christianity In The Future Analysis

American Christianity is dying, or at least that appears to be the general consensus. It can be a hard fact for a God-fearing, American Christian to swallow, but as the Bible and God teaches us, He will work all things for good. Although the number of Christians is dwindling every year, the reason why and the effect of the decline do not spell absolute doom for the religion. Instead, the drop in Americans identifying as Christians may in fact force Christianity into a purer future. What particular “future” Christianity moves towards is up for debate, however, and three authors offer their perspectives on what they believe the largest American religion is evolving into. Russell Moore, Alyssa Howard, and John Pavlovitz each offer a unique commentary
Howard, to begin with, tells a very personal story about how the morals of America and the world have drastically changed over the past century. Her story about her grandmother who was considered “promiscuous” because she went on a lot of dates but remained pure highlights the changing sexual landscape. “Today, sleeping with multiple people before marriage is considered normal. Our young adults aren’t taught to be pure – they are taught to be careful” (Howard). This apparent decline in morals is what Howard attributes to the decay of Christianity in America. She insists that people used to receive their morals from the church, but with morality being increasingly self-identified as people are encouraged to do “whatever makes them happy,” the need for Godly guidance decreases. Moore, however, offers a different argument. “For much of the twentieth century, especially in the South and parts of the Midwest, one had to at least claim to be a Christian to be “normal.” During the Cold War, that meant distinguishing oneself from atheistic Communism. At other times, it has meant seeing churchgoing as a way to be seen as a good parent, a good neighbor, and a regular person” (Moore). Moore views the decline in Christian identifying Americans as a reaction to the fact that you no longer need to believe in God to be normal. He asserts that
“I believe that’s what’s happening in the American Church of every variety. We are all slowly dying and we are being presented with the option of being resurrected as something more pure, more God-honoring, more open, and more usable; or we’re being invited to dig in our heels and participate in the last tragic stages of the faith’s extinction” (Pavlovitz). John’s ideas actually appear to mock Alyssa’s and Russell’s, as their solution is exactly what Pavlovitz’s vilifies: to dig in and refuse to change. Throughout his article, John Pavlovitz uses the analogy that the drop in the more progressive churches attendance is akin to how Jesus called his disciples to drop their nets and follow Him. He sees the death of the church as a chance to be reborn into the new world, one God is shaping as we speak. To promote love and humility to those who need it most, those who are on the margins of society. On the opposite side of the spectrum, Howard and Moore offer their rebuttal to John’s more progressive viewpoint. “People who don’t want Christianity, don’t want almost-Christianity… Christianity that reflects its culture… only lasts as long as it is useful to its host. That’s because it’s, at root, idolatry, and people turn from their idols when they stop sending rain” (Moore). Russell