The Problem with Christianity

We have viewed Christianity individualistically—“am I right with God?” (not that this is unimportant). And in so doing have privatized the faith and  have lost in large measure the larger vision of the redemption not just of individuals but society and the world.

So said M. James Sawyer in response to Michael Spenser’s piece about The Coming Evangelical Collapse.

I see this sentiment often—that our faith is too personal. I think it could not be more misguided. While Sawyer has some interesting, and I think some good, stuff to say, on this particular point, I think Sawyer is wrong.

To bolster his point, Sawyer uses examples such as abortions, business ethic, and marriage.

For instance, he claims that 40% of abortions are performed on evangelical women who would rather “commit what they believe to be murder than to live with the shame and ostracism of the community that was supposed to love them.” (I am not disputing the number.)

He continues “The ethical reputation of evangelicals in business is so notorious as to make the term Evangelical Ethics an oxymoron. Many Christians let alone non-Christians will not do business with those who make public their evangelical commitment.” (I am not disputing the sentiment.)

What’s the problem? The problem is not that faith is too personal, that Christianity is too individualistic.

It is precisely the opposite. It is not personal enough. We are too concerned with what other think (abortion) or with finding success in this world (business ethics). Our faith is not personal enough to cause us to do right in spite of those around us.

Take the abortion example: A woman whose faith in God is extremely personal and individualistic will be more committed to obeying God and less worried about the supposed response of the community around her. But because she is concerned with the community around her, she decides to have an abortion.

The businessman with an extreme personal faith in God will realize that he too has a master in heaven, and will live accordingly. His bad business reputation is because he does not believe strongly enough in God.

What evangelicalism needs is a more personal faith, and a faith less concerned about the response of those outside the faith. 

The problem Sawyer points out is real, but his diagnosis is wrong. We need a more personal faith, not a less personal one.