"Be anxious for nothing."
I have a prediction. It is entirely speculative. I base it on nothing but thin air.
America's conservative churches are going to see a steady, if not sudden, increase in membership over the next several years. Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, unaffiliated, evangelical, Church of Christ, Anglican, it matters not. Attendance will increase, and the increase will be dramatic. The Catholic Church might even see significant growth; it will only do so if it reinvigorates its teaching and preaching traditions.
The Episcopal Church will see maybe a momentary gain; but it will, along with the United Church of Christ and the Unitarian Universalist Society, see a level or downward trend.
Churches that are distinctly, wisely and dynamically walking against the current of the Zeitgeist, the spirit of the age, will flourish. (But only if they are distinct, dynamic and wise.)
Thus sprach the thin air.
I have a prediction. It is entirely speculative. I base it on nothing but thin air.
America's conservative churches are going to see a steady, if not sudden, increase in membership over the next several years. Baptist, Methodist, Presbyterian, unaffiliated, evangelical, Church of Christ, Anglican, it matters not. Attendance will increase, and the increase will be dramatic. The Catholic Church might even see significant growth; it will only do so if it reinvigorates its teaching and preaching traditions.
The Episcopal Church will see maybe a momentary gain; but it will, along with the United Church of Christ and the Unitarian Universalist Society, see a level or downward trend.
Churches that are distinctly, wisely and dynamically walking against the current of the Zeitgeist, the spirit of the age, will flourish. (But only if they are distinct, dynamic and wise.)
Thus sprach the thin air.
3 comments:
Bill,
I know you're right. I can't speak for the different denominations but I believe that the increase will come slowly as people begin to realize that putting their faith in earthly government yields no satisfaction.
Peace,
Chris
This is sorta related to your post... I was wandering if you thought the Emergent Church/Sojourners-Jim Wallis crowd was influential in electing Obama. I know the books by Wallis have been very popular among younger evangelicals for their emphasis on the gov't 's role in social justice. I am curious if this new incarnation of the social gospel will be a sustainable force in future political debate or if the enthusiasm for it is not more a referendum on the Christian Right. Any thoughts?
Dear Karen,
In response to your very good comments, I would say that the politics of the emergent church, insofar as they are defined by "social justice", are not entirely sustainable in the church. Once the church becomes essentially indistinguishable from the state, the salt has lost its savor, and the first to thing to go, or so history seems to intimate, is the church. Moreover, Christians will react negatively to the idea, and they should, that compassion is enforced by law, even if that law is the tax code.
And yes, I believe unwaveringly that the emergent church movement is indeed a referendum on the Christian Right. But in many ways that referendum was already in play in the liberal wings of the Episcopal and Catholic churches, and the United Church of Christ; and also the Unitarian Universalist Society.
(I should add that I wrote my series on poverty, Making Poverty History, with the emergent and progressive churches in mind.)
Peace to you.
BG
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