3 Threats To Secularism In The West
In this commentary, I reflect on my recent trip to Copenhagen, Denmark, and the broader implications of living in the post-Christendom West. Walking the ancient streets and talking to seasoned church leaders, I pondered two major factors that contribute to secularism and how Protestantism has become a victim of its own success. And I explored three emerging factors that could break the hold of secularism on the West.
A few European countries and U.S. regions buck the secular trend. Why? Considering the story of secularism—and resilient Christianity—helps us pass down a robust, durable faith to the next generation.
In This Episode
04:00 – Faith and decadence on Copenhagen’s streets
08:00 – From opt-out to opt-in belief
12:00 – America’s exception and slow convergence
18:00 – Faith thrives under tension
23:00 – The problem with establishment
30:00 – Reform, burnout, and secular substitutes
36:00 – Postwar humanism and its cracks
45:00 – Reality intrudes on secular optimism
49:00 – Three pressures on secularism and gospel hope
Resources Mentioned
- Graph of religious importance and corresponding GDP
- Graph of religious attendance in the United States and Europe
- A Secular Age by Charles Taylor
- Destroyer of the Gods by Larry W. Hurtado
- Dominion by Tom Holland
- The Age of Hitler and How We Will Survive It by Alec Ryrie
- The Abolition of Man by C. S. Lewis
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