The Fall Of Christendom

Ruined ChurchIt’s not unfair to say that, in America, Christendom has fallen. True, it hasn’t hit the ground yet but it’s plummeting towards it insofar as it being a cohesive ethical, social, and political force in America. Christendom’s fall is a woeful but not unexpected course of events and may well be the harbinger of America’s fall as well.

Simply put, this is because the Church, as opposed to- and separate from the Faith, grew, and grew, and grew – and outgrew its purpose, thereby destroying itself. It became something that was largely alien, antithetical even in some instances, from its actual duty and lost its flocks.

One statement, often repeated in clerical circles, sums up the problem that various sects of the Christian church are facing.

The church began as a fellowship in rural Judea. It grew into a movement in Jerusalem. It became a philosophy in Greece, an institution in Rome, a culture in Europe and, when it came to America, it became a business… a highly profitable business.

Despite the hopeful cries of the Godless – and many Pagans – it’s not, insofar as I can see, any issue with Christianity’s doctrine or dogma that has caused Christendom’s fall. It is that the churches have become to embroiled in the secular matters of being businesses and have debased their message of faith by doing so.

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11 Responses to “The Fall Of Christendom”

  1. titfortat Says:

    Im thinking the fall of the Church can be tied to my favourite scripture. Once I applied it to many of the Christians I met it was easy to dismiss it.

    1 Thessalonians 5:21

    But test everything, hold fast to what is good.

  2. Steve B Says:

    A fall hastened by the “seeker-friendly” movement aka Rick Warren and ilk, who determined that filling seats was more important than saving souls.

  3. jonolan Says:

    Steve,

    It’s probably just semantics but I can’t describe the “seeker-friendly” movement as hastening the fall since it’s part and parcel of the business that the church has devolved into. It’s an intrinsic part of the problem to my mind, indicative of the problem as opposed to being an adjunct to it.

  4. jonolan Says:

    A very problematical piece of scripture, T4T, because it’s used to encourage people to “roll their own” religion. Given that people tend to choose only that which comforts them and validates themselves and their actions, this more often than not does not lead to moral results.

  5. Titfortat Says:

    @jonolan

    If youre going to follow Christianity you might as well interpret it yourself. Its not like there is any kind of consensus out there anyways. So, with that said, Im covered.

    John 12:32

    “But I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to myself.”

    Ya gotta love that Jesus guy. 😉

  6. Titfortat Says:

    By the way, Im a pretty moral individual overall and I didnt need a religion to point me in that direction. I came from a single parent, secular home. Damn fine Mom and Grandma I might add. 🙂

  7. jonolan Says:

    Actually, since the entirety of America’s and Canada’s normative culture is based upon the Judeo-Christian religions and all of their ethical standards are similarly based, you need religion to point you in the right direction. You and your mother just had it provided to you in a tacit and/or de facto manner.

  8. titfortat Says:

    And considering there were these types of beliefs/morals around before the Judeo/Christian religions I would imagine they had it provided in a tacit and/or de facto manner too. 😉

  9. jonolan Says:

    I’ll grant that this is true. Zoroastrianism looks like it had a lot to do with the shaping of the Abrahamic faiths, though to a greatly lesser extent in the case of Islam.

  10. Terry Says:

    There is a “t” missing from “It” in second sentence . ; ) Excellent quote for sure !
    RE: “The church began as a fellowship in rural Judea. I grew into a movement in Jerusalem. It became a philosophy in Greece, an institution in Rome, a culture in Europe and, when it came to America, it became a business… a highly profitable business. “

  11. jonolan Says:

    Thanks, Terry! I’ve fixed that mistake now.

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