Abiding Life Christian Ministries--Phoenix & Tampa

Renaissance or Denouement: The Negation of Christian Europe (or why Redneck Baptists and Obnoxious New Yorker Catholics Saved America)

By Rob J. King

            “It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us, we had nothing before us, we were all going direct to Heaven, we were all going direct the other way . . .” So begins Charles Dickens’ A Tale of Two Cities.  In many ways, the classic words penned by Dickens are as apropos today in 2006 – 2007, as they were in the re-created historical era of the French Revolution.

            The battle between belief and non-belief, Good and Evil, Heaven and Hell.  In many ways, what was started in hearts, minds and souls of European Christians is finally coming to its full, sad, conclusion.  What began as the Renaissance or a “revival of humanism,” in fact, has ended as the denouement of European Christendom.  First, came the Protestant Reformation in which Christian fought fellow Christian, rather than trying to spread the Gospel to the ends of the earth.  Martin Luther, contrary to pro-Roman Catholic polemics, never wanted to start a New Church, but instead, was a faithful monk who was re-introduced to Christian teaching through a more direct encounter with the WORD of God.  But the battle for souls soon became embroiled in National politics.  German Nationalism ended up determining Luther’s fate as much as the initial theological controversy.

            Similarly, on the English side of the Protestant Reformation, King Henry VIII, the first English monarch trained in Renaissance thinking, took his new found humanistic learning as utter license, and indeed despotism as he divorced five of his wives (executing two of them!), and then proceeded to “liberate” the English Church from supposed “Roman control.” Thus the Church of England was born.

            Now, several centuries later, Islam, rather than Christianity is the increasingly dominant religion in Europe.  Humanism, first through the Enlightenment, then through the French Revolution and eventually WW I and WW II had successfully eliminated Christianity as the defining worldview of the European continent.  Today, being a Christian in Europe is as odd as being a Hare Krishna, and indeed, in some European nations, a Charismatic Christian like myself would be viewed as being a member of a cult!

            Truly, the winter of despair is settling upon Europe.

            But America is a bit different.  Rather than being a cult, a Charismatic Christian is generally treated with respect in the good ole U.S.A.  In fact, one can even serve in the United States Armed Forces as a Spirit-Filled Chaplain!

            So, what makes the United States of America different from our European “fathers and mothers”?  Well, to begin with, rather than being a humanistic culture, the United States of America, throughout its history, has sought to be a Biblical culture.  Granted since the 1960’s, the onslaught of secular humanist ideology has been vociferous, urging women to have sex with other woman (Romans 1:26), making it legal to kill your own babies (Roe v. Wade in 1972), and seeking to limit public expression of religion (any religion, but especially Biblical religion) as being somehow contrary to the Founding documents of the American Republic.

            Well, thank God for the leadership of faithful men and women who have not allowed this secular humanist onslaught to go unchallenged.  George W. Bush, our nation’s President is an Evangelical Methodist and pro-life.  Supreme Court Justices Antonin Scalia and John Roberts are faithful pro-life Catholics.  Even a number of Senators and Congressman will boldly stand up for Christian belief and practice in the public sphere.  In many ways, the political coalition of Southern Baptists (the nation’s largest denomination) and Roman Catholics are winning the cultural battles, and the souls of the American people.  “Redneck Baptists and Obnoxious New Yorker Catholics” if you would like a humorous stereotype for who is now running our nation politically.

            Thank you to my mom, the Puerto Rican Obnoxious New Yorker Catholic who chose life instead of aborting me.  Thank you to my Dad, the Missionary Baptist Coast Guard “redneck” from rural Georgia who raised me to be humble, and putting the needs of others above my own.