A few days ago, I posted the first blog about the Mere Anglicanism conference. Ross Douthat, an op-ed columnist at The New York Times, was the second presenter. I wanted to write about Douthat’s presentation separately because I was so moved by his story and presentation.
Douthat recounted his religious pilgrimage. As a child his family was slightly religious, mostly secular, upper middle-class, and liberal. His first memory is of his mother taking him with her to vote for Walter Mondale, but especially for Geraldine Ferrero. The family experienced a religious conversion when his mother became sick. Friends convinced her to attend a healing service in a Connecticut Charismatic church. He said, “The lady preacher came by the seat where my mom was sitting and laid hands on her, and my mom went down and stayed down for a long time.” His teen years were spent traveling with his parents to various Charismatic revivals, including the Toronto Blessing. He later attended Harvard and converted to Roman Catholicism. I suggested to him that he should write a spiritual autobiography, as I would like to know more about his pilgrimage.
Douthat primarily discussed how American religious faith has become politicized; and how that is hurting the mission of the Church. He said, “Liberal Christianity has failed. The liberal Christians churches have died.” He suggested that secularism is not as strong as it appears and is not the greatest threat to the Christian faith. The greatest threat is bad religion (the title of his book). He suspects that many mega-church evangelists would embrace a liberal evangelicalism if not for the fear that their “fan base” would evaporate. As Douthat was speaking I rejoiced to hear of his early encounters in Charismatic spirituality, but was saddened to know that much of the “bad religion” that threatens the Christian message is expressed in wayward Pentecostal/Charismatic spirituality.
He said that the secularist do not seek the demise of private religion. What they seek is the demise of public religious expression, especially as it relates to same sex marriage. The secularist view traditional Christian sexual morality as being peculiar, much the same as 19th century society viewed Mormon polygamy. Just as the Mormons eventually surrendered polygamy due to the pressures of society, the secularists believe it is only a matter of time before Christians surrender on homosexual marriage. Further, in fifty or so years, Christians will be grateful to the secularists influence.
I have written earlier that just as the abortion debate continues to rage many decades beyond Roe vs. Wade; the debate about Christian sexual ethics will not subside with the passage of time. Abortion continues to be an issue because Christians continue to be informed by Holy Scripture and a long theological tradition that insists on the sacredness of life. The same is true about Christian sexual ethics.
Probably the most chilling moment of the conference was the final panel discussion in which all presenters participated. A question was asked, “How are Christian professionals to respond when membership in profession societies are being denied to those who hold to traditional Christian values?” Silence. Most presenters acknowledged the pressure, but could not offer a solution. I was reminded about the power of the beast:
And he causes all, the small and the great, and the rich and the poor, and the freemen and the slaves, to be given a mark on their right hand or on their forehead, and he provides that no one will be able to buy or to sell, except the one who has the mark… (Revelation 13:16-17).
If the secularists succeed, within one generation, Christians will be prohibited from the legal, medical, and educational professions. If that happens, the secularists will have succeeded in removing all Christian influence from the public square.
