We seem to be losing ground. In this case, the "we" are mainline protestant churches. According to a new survey report released last week by the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life, the "unaffiliated with any religion" category has seen the greatest growth as a result of changes in affiliation. I suppose a Protestant could take some solace in the finding that Catholicism has experienced the greatest net losses, but such churlish parochialism hardly benefits the church. Whatever else the report might suggest, the implication is that the church isn't doing a very good job -- even among its own. According to the study, "7.3% of the adult population
says they were unaffiliated with any particular religion as a child. Today, however, 16.1% of adults say they are unaffiliated, a net increase of 8.8 percentage points." So, what could be the problem?
Commenting on the survey, the editors of the Wall Street Journal (March 1, 2008) observe that "the Pew survey confirms what scholars have been saying for years about the winners and losers in this religious economy: Religions that demand the most of people are growing the fastest. The mainline Protestant churches -- with their less exclusionary views of salvation, looser rules for sexual conduct and sermons about social justice -- have lost membership..."
I find that a fascinating list of indictments: because mainline churches suggest that heaven's doors are wider rather than narrower; because our fixations stray beyond the bedroom; and because we preach sermons on social justice, we are losing members. We have, according to the Journal editors, "low expectations."
Really? Since when was social justice considered light weight? Since when did taking care of one's personal morality become more demanding than looking out for the well-being of our neighbors?
Could it be that the great hemorrhage of people draining into the "unaffiliated" category have concluded that, in short-changing our social justice obligations by indifference or silence, and by focusing so much attention on sexual issues, we have failed to set our standards high enough for them to bother with us any longer?
Just a thought.
2 comments:
Hmmm... Good thoughts... Perhaps we particularly as Disciples of Christ are just to Darn neutral too often. If we did stand for something, even something radical like Christ did and stand firm not like a church afraid of conflict but a church willing to protect the openness of the path. However, standing this radically for something would surely mean that we would be obligated to stand firm against those who would seek to narrow the door and prevent so many from entering. At least then people would have something that was worth being part of and not just being neutral.
Growing up a Disciple, converting to Catholicism, and then returning to the Disciples, I am confused about why more people don't find our message of inclusion more welcoming and comforting. In 23 years as a Catholic, I never experienced the feeling of community that I have experienced at First Christian Church. I'm beginning to believe that in order to feel safe and secure in today's world you need to feel "better" than someone else. I don't think it has to do with high expectations nearly as much as the need to make yourself feel bigger by making someone else feel small.
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