“Are we ready for a religious revival?” is the title of a national column. The question is answered “yes” or “no” and arguments given for each. Anti-God polemicists argue that secularism, agnosticism and reason will cause religion to decline. The idea seems more absurd in 2024 than it did earlier.
Religions thrive around the world, in some cases in reaction against secular westernization viewed as neo-colonialism. Meditation, mindfulness, and yogi are reclothed here as secular despite roots in eastern religions. Paranormal pseudo-religions are linked with traditional festivals as money-making machines. Halloween is now replete with horrid vampires, ghouls, zombies, and monsters. A search for meaning and truth leads to psychedelics, astrology, even U.F.O.s. Satan worship expands. Lately the rise of ‘nones’ claiming no religious affiliation has leveled off. Anxiety and ennui are the defining moods in America, not rationalist optimism. Surprising astonishing change seems inevitable.
Periods of tension, conflict, and social breakdown often lead to religious revival and reform. Three examples of revival of Christianity serve as examples.
First revival: Christianity was birthed amidst chaos of Roman rule in petty states, kingdoms, and religions. Romans dominated the Mediterranean world. Religions associated with the states and kingdoms like Athena worship of the Greeks and Jewish beliefs and practices were impotent for the new reality. Rome permitted some limited, local practices to continue, if the people expressed allegiance to Caesar as lord. Emperor worship and Roman rituals were also impotent.
Christianity spread throughout the Roman empire. Christians were viewed as a threat because they did not give allegiance to any state or ruler. When ordered to affirm “Caesar is lord,” Christians affirmed, “Christ is Lord.” Christianity was universal in inclusiveness, attracting Jews and Gentiles, women and men, slave and free, poor and rich, weak and strong. Its message of one creator God who was God of all creation and Jesus as redeemer who called all people into unity was the compelling. The first vibrant Christians were not allied with any political party. Scholars comment on conversion of Constantine and the gradual co-optation of Christianity under the state as disastrous.
Second revival: Our modern period started with the fracturing of European state churches in corruption, immorality, and long, bloody religious wars. Exhaustion prepared Europe for a religious revival. The Protestant Reformation proclaimed freedom from some forms of tyranny. Threatening chaos was calmed by the unfortunate decision that the ruler of the state would determine its religion. Thereby, Europe was divided politically and religiously, with different Christian denominations arranged like quilt-pieces. New ideas and the printing press facilitated the development of Protestantism — a revival.
Third revival: America attracted diverse European nationalities and religions, some of whom fled to escape religious persecution. The move westward created a mixed population who mingled in new ways on the American frontier. A revival emerged at frontier camp meetings where diverse groups joined in worship and sacraments, without certified priests or circuit-riders. Propelled by Enlightenment ideas and moral instructions based primarily on Judeo-Christian roots, the movement spread across the expanding frontier like wildfire in the 19th century.
Chaos in our current social context raises the revival question to which several writers respond, “Yes.” No one can doubt that we are poised for rapid change. Which destructive or positive ideologies will rule, is unclear.
The best we can do is to be alert for changes and support those who are engaged in promising positive goals: (1) Individual freedom with responsibility; (2) Strong community open to cooperation with diverse individuals and groups; (3) Universalism not xenophobia; and (4) Affirmation of the equal rights with opportunities for all to flourish. Those reflect aspects of some churches, synagogues, mosques and other religious organizations. It begins to sound like the American dream for Crawfordsville and Montgomery County.
Raymond Brady Williams, Crawfordsville, LaFollette Distinguished Professor in the Humanities emeritus, contributed this guest column.
