A Nation of Heretics

For the next several posts I will be quoting and writing from Ross Douthat’s book, “Bad Religion: How we became a nation of heretics.” It is a well written and provocative book. I highly suggest reading it.

Back in November I was aghast by Barack Obama’s reelection.  I asked myself a million times, “How could this happen?”  How could we, a just and freedom loving society pick a president who was antithetical to both? 

After weeks of asking these types of questions I came to the conclusion that the reason why he was reelected was that we lived in a post Christian country.  This slow and precipitous decay has been taking part in our country for the past 50 years.  Our country has become secularized just as the rest of the “civilized world.”  Inevitably the more secular candidate will continue to win elections in the future.

The painful reality is that Christianity has been collapsing in this country for the past 50 years.  We are quickly becoming a nation of heretics bowing to the secular altar of narcissism and comfort. 

The following posts will be my personal response to this crisis.  I will explore the so called “golden years” of Christianity.  I will also speak about the forces that led to the end of this golden era.  I will speak about the courageous response of Christian leaders who resisted the cultural pressures of the 1960’s.  Lastly, most importantly I will speak about ways in which Christians can reclaim the heritage that influenced the founding and greatness of our country.