Secularization vs. Christianity

By Ron Corson

Lately, I find that as I read the opinion pieces in Time magazine there appears to be little that I ever agree with. However I recently read an essay that though I did not agree with much in it, I did find some statements to be true.

In her essay The Battle Is Over, but the War Goes On (Time Magazine Dec. 6 2004) Michelle Cottle posits “Those who think they won on ‘moral values’ may be in for a surprise”. As in much of the liberal media she notes that liberals are “discombobulating” over the November election. But she attempts to comfort her liberal associates by telling them that “liberals have the luxury of ignoring conservative America”, with only rare occurrences that need intrude upon their consciousness. But “Social conservatives, by contrast, cannot escape the world view of blue staters. Every time they go to the movies or turn on the television or open their child’s school books they’re reminded that traditional values ain’t what they used to be.”

There is a cultural shift going on in America, a shift from traditional American values to as Bill O’Reilly would say a “Progressive Secularism”. There is a media machine with an agenda that seems to be intent upon removing Christianity and many traditional values from America. Certainly not just the media however, this Progressive Secularism is rampant in the nation’s education system from the lofty towers of university to the Kindergarten. Having just watched Ward Churchill’s press conference/rally on C-Span I am reminded of a time when students would protest stupid statements rather then stand behind them and yell freedom of speech. As reported in Frontpagemag.com; “Churchill called those who died when the Twin Towers collapsed "little Eichmanns" (in reference to the architect of Nazi genocide). He later explained that he was referring to the brokers and traders who were crushed under tons of rubble, not the janitors and children burnt to a crisp.”

For years now Europe has preceded us in this secularization. Now in these nations once described as occupied by traditional Christians there are far fewer Christians. Churches are empty, relics to a bygone age. With the bygone age tolerance has also gone. In France schools no longer tolerate the traditional Muslim dress. Religious symbols are frowned upon unless for instance a cross is only seen as Jewelry. Anti-Semitism is on the increase in many European countries. France, predominantly a Catholic country of 59 million in 2000 is estimated to have 488,000 evangelicals, and a weekly religious attendance of 10%. England is predominately Christian but has small percentages who regularly attend church. According to christian.org.uk just above 10% go to church weekly, 20% monthly, and 30% go every six months.

How does the Seventh-day Adventists nineteenth century view of end time persecution of Christians relate to the current anti-Christian attitude displayed in Europe and gaining momentum here in America. At the foundation of the SDA church Christian memory was fixated upon the dark ages of Roman Catholic abuse. Having no conception of living under anything other then a Christian dominated nation few could see a threat from any other direction. True during the Reformation there were some who saw the domination of Islam as a possibility but since the Ottoman Empire was rapidly declining in the 1800’s it did not have much impact upon SDA’s. The Ottoman fall was merely used as a signpost to tell the SDA’s that the end was near.

The Adventist eschatology then became the past shall repeat itself. Roman Catholics will join with apostate Protestants and Spiritualists to persecute real Christians. However it is not likely with current trends that there is going to be a revival of conservative Christianity in the Western world. Despite the fear mongering of certain Liberals and certain people who expect tiny groups like Christian Reconstructionists to gain power and turn America into a Theocracy. The culture is against such an outcome, the most influential elements in our society are teaching secularism with far more vigor then any Christian group.

It is probably time for the SDA church to move into the 21^st century and acknowledge the different world that now exists from the one that was expected to exist in the 19^th century. Christianity needs to be relevant for all people in all times. Which means that Christianity and Seventh-day Adventism in particular must abandon, at least for the time, some long held and cherished Eschatological expectations.