Jump directly to the content

The End of Nominal Protestantism

What does the rise of the religiously unaffiliated mean for the future of mainline denominations?

Download a PDF of this article here


From Issue:
December 2012, Vol. 56, No. 11, Pg 13, "Spotlight: The End of Nominal Protestantism"
More from Christianity Today
Star Trek Into Darkness

Star Trek Into Darkness

Lots of explosions but not much heart makes this a film that will please most but might leave fans disappointed.
Forgiving Iran

Forgiving Iran

Long before I knew the true God, he helped me release my hatred.
Perdonando a Irán

Perdonando a Irán

Antes de conocer al Dios verdadero, Él me ayudó a liberar mi odio.
Get Instant Access
Christianity Today Magazine
Subscribe now for a year (10 issues) at $24.95 for print, iPad, and instant web access.

International Orders

Comments

Displaying 1–3 of 8 comments

S Wesley Mcgranor

December 14, 2012  6:34am

Reactionaries of Prptestantism, though the institutional churches have abandoned you; God has not. Do not fall to the deception that Protestantism was inadequate, or otherwise inept. Realize that man's will has lead him astray. He has mistaken his will for God's. As man has corrupted and dismantled Mainline denominations since the Counterculture era of infiltration. You and i have the the ability to regain what has been lost. If there is any one here that came of age in the 90's; you know that the transition to Judaizing, to Emergents, and ecumenism with Rome was not that far away. So having not been rooted, you can pull it out by the roots. The weed among the wheat might be popular; but it clearly is destructive. If it comes down to rejection and shunning by society, as it already has. Then realize that you reject them with Christ. We must at every level take a stand against those that have turned these institutions into secular-humanists clubs, punk rock nihilism and Catholic bait.

Report Abuse

Claire Guest

December 12, 2012  11:31am

J Thomas, ITA with this statement you made (among others): "They [liberal radicals] view the church as political enemies who need to be divided and conquered." I have noticed that several regular posters here (at least one of whom professes to be a believer) have the same mindset - they view conservative Bible-believing Christians as politically-minded and politically-motivated. When Bible-believing Christians address topics from a purely Scriptural viewpoint, they reply with political statements and accusations. I have wondered why this is so, and your statement here has helped me to understand it better. IMHO, it has ALREADY become socially unacceptable to be serious about Christianity IF THAT MEANS believers hold to God's Word as their standard of truth. This is where the rubber meets the road, is where and why dissension develops.

Report Abuse

J Thomas

December 12, 2012  2:46am

Amen, Rick. I echo your "PTL" for what God is doing around the world. As for us here, there is coordinated social pressure being applied to the church by progressive causes: progressive 501c4's, Hollywood, media institutions, and progressive political parties. The church is being put to the sword of the Alinsky tactic of rule 12 (Pick the target, freeze it, personalize it, and polarize it), and rule 5 from his "Rules for Radicals", which serves as the progressive political tactical manual. They view the church as political enemies who need to be divided and conquered. So, as they continue to "freeze the target", "ridicule" Christians, and "polarize" them, it is inevitable that those who may not be serious about their faith will fall away. The progressives continue to illustrate Christians as morons who do nothing but sexually abuse children, get rich, hate gays, etc, etc. and the inevitable result is that it will become socially unacceptable to be serious about Christianity.

Report Abuse
See All 8 Comments
You must be a Christianity Today subscriber to post comments
(on articles open to the public, you must at least register for a free account).
Login
or
Subscribe
or
Register

Don't Miss

Forgiving Iran

Forgiving Iran

Long before I knew the true God, he helped me release my hatred.
Why Willpower Fails

Why Willpower Fails

Your willpower is limited, so use it wisely.

Great Humility

Great Humility

The power of a neglected virtue

more | current issue

Books & Culture

A Measure of Forgiveness

A Measure of Forgiveness

Memories of a British...

Today's Christian Woman

Amy Grant: How Mercy Looks from Here

Amy Grant: How Mercy Looks from Here

The Queen of Christian...

Small Groups

Mental Illness Is Mainstream

Mental Illness Is Mainstream

We must help the one...

Facebook

CT eBooks & Bible Studies


Shopping