The Demise of Christendom

The age of Christendom is long over. Christendom was a time in the Western world when Christianity was accepted by nearly everyone as a fact of life, from birth to death. Christendom lasted for about 800 years,  from the evangelization of the last pagan kings of Europe in 1100 to the rise of secular humanism around 1750. Since that time, regions that had been historically Christian have been rapidly receding, until today, when fewer than 2% of Europeans attend church on a monthly basis. The figures aren’t much better as you travel west – 4% in Great Britain and Canada. America has seen a slower decline, but it is steadily progressing toward that of Europe – 40% in the South and Midwest,  12% in the Northeast, and 8% in the Northwest.

Hebrews 12:1"Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, we must get rid of every weight and the sin that clings so closely, and run with endurance the race set out for us, 12:2 keeping our eyes fixed on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of our faith. For the joy set out for him he endured the cross, disregarding its shame, and has taken his seat at the right hand of the throne of God. 12:3 Think of him who endured such opposition against himself by sinners, so that you may not grow weary in your souls and give up. 12:4 You have not yet resisted to the point of bloodshed in your struggle against sin.  12:5 And have you forgotten the exhortation addressed to you as sons?“My son, do not scorn the Lord’s discipline or give up when he corrects you.12:6 “For the Lord disciplines the one he loves and chastises every son he accepts.”12:7 Endure your suffering as discipline; God is treating you as sons. For what son is there that a father does not discipline? 12:8 But if you do not experience discipline, something all sons have shared in, then you are illegitimate and are not sons. 12:9 Besides, we have experienced discipline from our earthly fathers and we respected them; shall we not submit ourselves all the more to the Father of spirits and receive life? 12:10 For they disciplined us for a little while as seemed good to them, but he does so for our benefit, that we may share his holiness. 12:11 Now all discipline seems painful at the time, not joyful. But later it produces the fruit of peace and righteousness for those trained by it. 12:12 Therefore, strengthen your listless hands and your weak knees, 12:13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but be healed."

The Scripture states that we are trained by the difficulties and persecution we encounter as followers of Jesus. God allows for our circumstances in order to train us toward holiness and strength. We are not to be discouraged in the midst of this hardship, but to keep in mind the bigger picture, that our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the powers and principalities of this dark world and age (cf. Ephesians 6).

One of the amazing and unforeseen events in the world today is the shifting of the center of gravity for the Christian world to the South instead of the North. Today, the average Christian is poor, brown skinned, and female, where 200 years ago it was wealthy, white skinned, and male. Over 400 people are baptized every week in Brazil, and in China underground churches have sprouted up by the tens of thousands. Even if Christendom has crumbled, the Church is still alive and well in the world  -- it just doesn't look like it used to. :)