Why do some Christians think the world is so bad now?
For Christians this is particularly intriguing. I have met Christians who have a reasonable Biblical knowledge and have some appreciation of the sinfulness of our kind given what has gone on in the past.
One would have thought reading the Old Testament and having some historical awareness of life under the Romans, and of the church throughout the last two millennium, would provide an appreciation of the general and normal state of the world, and yet there is often a similar worry with the world. Some reasons why this is becoming an increasing issue are as follows:
The increasing seduction of a progressive theological foundation
For some Christians it is simply their inadequate theological foundation. While it is helpful for immediate pastoral concerns to be highlighted in the media, graphic images and words can become such a focus that the wider biblical understanding of a sinful and fallen world is relegated to a sideline. The focus is on a world that has bad elements but will be redeemed by the adoption of progressive theology. The hope for progressives is founded in a deluded view that humanity simply needs better education and more help and then we will progress toward the promised utopia. If only, they pray, the leaders of the world were like us, everything would be fine. It is based around the idea that ‘all we need is love”, an interesting idea if sin was not abounding in all of us.
Ultimately this form of theology is a denial of transcendence and a perversion of the gospel, but it is also confusing as the world does not seem to get better.
In some cases pastoral misappropriation provides groups that once would have been considered evil a pass if they appear to be suffering at the hands of another group or country.
Little understanding of church history
An ‘ahistorical’ understanding does tend to be a focus for many today including more recent denominations and movements. This neglects the good and the bad in past times. An awareness of church history is a good antidote.
An inadequate pastoral theology focus
When people see more obvious need played out on their screens, there is a move to focus on simply addressing the immediate issue – for example, ‘stop fighting’, or just ‘love each other’. They are unwittingly seduced by the words of John Lennon and imagine a world where there is no more of certain things. Certainly the world can always do with more love, sweet love, but worldly love will not end pain, suffering and war.
I have noticed a tendency among generally warm-hearted evangelicals to go toward the side of an issue that has significant emotional connection for a particular group. An example is the recent vote on ‘the voice’. I don’t want to discuss this complex issue itself, but highlight an idea circulated in some Christian circles that [as it was understood] Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people wanted this, we should give it to them. When the referendum failed this was highlighted by some as emblematic of the bad state of the country, rather than considering the many issues that were involved. While the affirmation model does not work in all situations (the same Christians usually took a different approach to the earlier marriage plebiscite, choosing not to affirm the idea of simply giving a group what they wanted), the model itself is part of the culture of today, and the church is increasingly influenced by this approach.
An inadequate or absent eschatology
I think one of the things that happens when an ‘ahistorical’ understanding becomes a foundation is that consideration of the hope we have quietly fades into the background.
Secondly, for some, other apocalyptic concepts come to the fore and take the place of the Christian understanding of end times. These have arisen from the left (progressive) and the right (conservative)
In my review of Christopher Watkin’s timely book Biblical Critical Theory (2022) I mention there are important reminders in the chapters about living as a Christian today in the context of his consideration of ‘the last days’. I commend his eschatological excursion as it is an area that is considered less today, particularly in sermons.
Yes, the world can be a very bad place. Some things will be worse at times and other things worse at other times. Some countries go through lengthy periods of chaos, war, and difficulties. At the turn of this century one geographic area had undergone around 250 years of conflict, albeit under three different regimes. Fifty years ago one country (and related area) had the highest terrorism statistics in the world. Today they would rank among the lowest and people outside that country probably couldn’t even name it.
Other countries, like my home of Australia (and I am considering only as a federation from 1901) have had a more general public quieter mode of operation, even if there have been times of disturbance. We had a recent period of consistent changing of Prime Ministers, but it was done with a paper dagger rather than a real one. Et Tu, Brute?
There are indeed bad times but let us reflect that this is not unique, and our present time is not the worst. Don’t be held captive to the megaphone of the world, consider the past, particularly our Christian heritage and history and continue to read the Bible.
A healthy dose of Ecclesiastes can help, coupled with reading the Psalms, and being consistent and faithful in prayer. Remember your calling to provide a Christian witness as salt and light and contribute as you are led in service in God’s world and hold onto the hope, we have in Christ in all our days. We should say the Nicene Creed more together and, in this way, we can affirm:
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
May God give you wisdom, peace, and the joy that this world cannot know.
More on this topic from Peter Bently here
Peter Bentley
pkbentleyarchive.com
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Very thoughtful and plenty to chew over, thanks.
I wonder if you have an opinion on something else I believe sets some Christians on edge.
Should the church expect to set the world’s morals?
Or should the church not expect the unsaved to follow morals required of the saved?
If I look around and see the ‘world’ not following Jesus’ path I could become hopeless. Alternatively I could see that it is me as a Christian who should follow Jesus, and that my role is not to judge others but rather make every effort to bring others to a place where they consider Jesus’ message.