I wrote most of this post before the election because I didn’t want the results to influence my thoughts.
By the time you read this, the election will have ended. The tone of the campaigns irritated many people, so they’re glad it’s over.
Could the degradation of the American political scene reflect the decline of Christianity’s significance for our culture? Scholars today refer to western society (Europe, North America, etc.) as “post-Christendom” or “post-Christian.” The Christian faith no longer plays a dominant role in the West.
Everyone agrees that America is not a Christian nation. Those hostile to religion applaud this fact; some Christians bemoan it, and still others maintain that the gospel thrives best when it’s free to compete with other perspectives in a neutral environment. Which side do you take?
Let’s dig deeper into this idea of America not being a Christian nation.
First, you can claim that America never was one. Perhaps there’s no such thing; people can be Christian but countries cannot. Legislated Christianity doesn’t make a population godly. It merely labels or compels the citizens.
Second, you can strive to “take back the country” for the Lord. The idea here is that America was once Christian; her laws and standards promoted God’s will. Secularism and immorality have run rampant, but believers can turn this around and restore America. Christians should pray, evangelize, run for office, and work from the inside to transform the United States. Christianity can recover its lost status.
Third, the missional view accepts the reality of post-Christendom but views this as a strategic opportunity for the church. In this understanding, the subversive message of the gospel functions better at the margins of society than at the center. Persecution afflicts those on the periphery of power, but God will honor the efforts of disciples to exalt Jesus and serve everyone with God’s love.
America used to be a Christian nation – it’s obvious from its laws, freedoms, values, and assumptions. Why was this so? Because so many Americans were Christian! Get a lot of Christian people together and you end up with a Christian society. It’s just math!
Today? There are fewer Christians as a proportion of the population. Consequently, society is less Christian. Contemporary laws, morals, standards – these rely less on biblical wisdom than they did in times past.
Do you want to make America Christian (again)? Make more Christians! Give people the gospel – present the claims of Jesus Christ in ways that address the needs and issues men, women, and children deal with every day.
No matter the results of the federal, state, and local elections, the mandate of Jesus will not have changed: “go and make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19). Would righteous political leadership make the church’s task easier? Or harder? Either way, the call remains in effect.
The more Christ-followers America has, the more the culture will reflect their impact. Regardless of who’s president.
Isn’t that worth striving for?
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