The Free Congres Guest Commentary Religious Breath and Stale Perfume by Brad Keena Whatever happened to the church of the twentieth century? According to a recently published report, today's Christian clergy face a tough challenge: how to retain the interest of baby boomers and younger Americans. I believe an honest evaluation of our culture today reveals how little last century's Christian church as a whole has done for our society. True, there was a "Jesus movement" in the late sixties, a charismatic revival in the seventies, and a surprisingly approachable pope in the eighties and nineties, but can any of these positive developments honestly be credited to the work of the white American Christian church institutions of the last century? You know the description. You're white, living in the suburbs of an average, all-American city, like Cleveland, or Indianapolis, or Kansas City. Like many Americans living in . . . say . . . the 1970's, you would have identified yourself as "Christian," and likely have attended some kind of Catholic, Protestant, or Anglican church. In what I call "the twentieth century church" model, the average churchgoer got dressed up and went to church on Sunday mornings, where he or she would stand to sing an old hymn that probably meant nothing to anyone any more, because no one bothered to explain what any of the old hymns meant. After singing, our average churchgoer might sit and sing again, then perhaps read something out of the church bulletin in unison with the congregation, and then stand again, and sing again - trying to not to inhale too deeply air thick with the choking mixture of various perfumes and bad breath. Eventually, there would be a collection of money, then a sermon by a pastor or priest who had proudly spent years in seminary to learn about religion and modern thought. Then, another hymn, and everybody would leave, forgetting about God until next Sunday. I realize I'm being a curmudgeon about this. It's just that I think the whole institution of the twentieth century church has been a model of failure. Can you imagine the apostle Paul presiding over communion served in little trays with little glasses raised before the sound of everyone gulping at the same time, or cracking little wafers in half? Or how about Jesus praising only those with the biggest churches, the largest congregations, or the grandest organs? Obviously, I'm purposely avoiding Judaism and Islam here. Their gatherings may have similar problems. But they have not been as "front and center" in our culture over the last hundred years as has Christianity. And how many other religions would water down their doctrines just to make the crowds bigger? Or amplify some doctrines while de-emphasizing inconvenient teachings? Thankfully, a terrific five-part series in the Washington Times this past week explores the church-institution and new ideas for attracting newcomers - not to church, but to Jesus. And maybe that's the sum of all the problems associated with white America's church institution of the last hundred years: as whole, the system has put church ahead of God. It's time to return our focus to the object of our worship. And with God's help, future historians may look back on these next few years, remembering a great revival in America, where Catholics, Protestants, Anglicans and others collaborated in a new Reformation: an age of worship. Perhaps, they'll record that whether indoors, outside, dressed up or dressed down, people of the early 21st century came together and worshipped in the "era of God." And, once again, He blessed America. Brad Keena is editor of the Cultural Dissident: http://www.culturaldissident.com For media inquiries, call Steve Lilienthal 202.204-5304 <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For other questions or comments, contact Angie Wheeler [EMAIL PROTECTED] Visit Our Website at http://www.FreeCongress.org This publication is a service of the Free Congress Research and Education Foundation, Inc. (FCF) and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Free Congress Foundation nor is it an attempt to aid or hinder the passage of any bill. Free Congress Foundation * 717 Second Street, NE * Washington, DC 20002 * 202.546.3000 * Fax: 202.544.2819 Project Manager: Angela Wheeler * Copyright * 2001 Free Congress Foundation - All Rights Reserved.
