From the Pastor
How interesting it was to receive my post-Easter Newsweek and see its cover boldly proclaiming, “The Decline and Fall of Christian America.” Happy Easter to you, too! The article inside pointed to research which reveals that since 1990, the number of Americans claiming no religious affiliation has risen from 8 to 15 percent, and; the number of self-identified Christians has dropped from 86 to 76 percent. The number of “religiously unidentified” is even higher in the Pacific Northwest and, surprisingly, in New England. And I am quite sure one could add Sonoma County to that list. One distressed theologian was quoted as saying, “Clearly there is a new narrative in America, a post-Christian narrative, that is animating large portions of the society.” Hmmm – a post-Christian America. Is this something I should be concerned about? Quite honestly, I think I would be much more worried about the decline and fall of The Community Church of Sebastopol!
Whenever I read an article like this, I find myself wondering what exactly the author means when he or she uses the word, “Christian”. And the concept of a “Christian America” is not something that has ever excited me. In fact, more often than not it has worried me. Too often in recent years, references to a Christian America have been more about a narrow political agenda than the teachings of Jesus of Nazareth. And so, if the decline and fall of Christian America means the decline and fall of religion that divides people, demonizes all who disagree with me, suppresses and confines the human spirit, is mean and narrow and more about condemnation than grace, well that is fine with me.
And so, rather than worry about a Christian America, I think I will keep my focus closer to home. I will focus on working with each of you to create a community, a faith, that enlarges the human spirit, not diminishes it, that does not become an end in itself, but will seek to love God and express that love by reaching out to serve human need. How about an open hand rather than a closed fist, a word of welcome instead of harsh condemnation? That’s a church – a faith – for me.
Gene
