Good Riddance to "Christian America"

In my sermon Easter Sunday, I mentioned a recent Newsweek cover story "The Decline and Fall of Christian America" by John Meacham. I'm not sure if I buy all Meacham's statistical analysis--surveys results on religion are never as easy to interpret as they seem--but if the by Christian America, Meacham means Christianity as espoused by Albert Mohler of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, KY who Meacham quotes in the first paragraphs of his article--then consider me glad of its decline and fall. My stomach turns at people like Mohler who equate the Gospel of Christ with white, middle class, militaristic, American values.

As I mentioned in my sermon, if Christians lose their claim to cultural dominance in our country, then maybe it will lead to a church that is less smug, arrogant, condescending and greedy for control over others. Jim Wallis of Sojourners had a response piece that says much the same thing. I agree with Wallis, that Christianity was always meant to be counter-cultural rather than a movement wedded with a particular political philosophy. Give me a Christianity that treats all people as equally loved by God, humbly admits it does not possess all knowledge and truth and sacrifices its own riches on behalf of the world's suffering poor.

Just thought I'd pass on the article I mentioned Sunday.

Grace and Peace,

Chase