Religion waxes and wanes in a culture and throughout history. It can fade away, but it can also suddenly come back again. That is a takeaway from the American Enterprise study of American religion. The low point in American church involvement was in the 1780s, but that was followed by the Second Great Awakening. Read more
May 7, 2020
Church Decline Isn’t Reversed by Contemporary Music & Worship Styles
May 7, 2020 By Gene Veith
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According to the new American Enterprise study of American religion, the decline in church membership and attendance cannot be reversed by switching to contemporary music and worship styles. This is shown by a case study of the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod. Read more
May 6, 2020
Causes of Secularization, such as Too Much Religious Power
May 6, 2020 By Gene Veith
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The American Enterprise Institute study of American religion finds reasons why societies become less religious. Among them is that when churches exercise political power–as in state churches and government-sanctioned religious discrimination–the public comes to resent religion, thus contributing to periods of secularization. Read more
May 5, 2020
A Major Study of American Religion, with Surprises
May 5, 2020 By Gene Veith
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The American Enterprise Institute has released an important study of American religion. It finds that though religion is in a state of decline today, the low point of church affiliation and attendance was in 1780. Read more
May 4, 2020
The Vocation of Weird Al Yankovic
May 4, 2020 By Gene Veith
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Highlighting two profiles of Weird Al Yankovic, known for his parodies of iconic pop songs and their videos, such as “Eat it!” “Like a Surgeon,” “Another One Rides the Bus,” “Amish Paradise,” and “Smells Like Nirvana.” One of the profiles discusses Weird Al–a professing Christian–in terms of vocation. Read more
May 1, 2020
What Is the Common Good?
May 1, 2020 By Gene Veith
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Should we be most concerned with preserving individual rights and liberties or with promoting the “common good”? Catholic theologians, though, have been debating the meaning of that term. In focusing on “love of neighbor,” Luther can help resolve these issues. Read more
April 30, 2020
The End of Big Churches?
April 30, 2020 By Gene Veith
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Big, densely-populated cities are being hit hardest by the coronavirus epidemic. Big gatherings in general–as in sporting events and conventions–are also losing lose their luster for health reasons. Might this also mean that the vogue of big churches–the era of the megachurch–is ending? Read more
April 29, 2020
A Nomination for Lutheran Sainthood?
April 29, 2020 By Gene Veith
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We Lutherans consider every Christian to be a “saint,” though at the same time a “sinner.” But if Lutherans had a process for recognizing remarkable Christians as “saints,” I would nominate Norman Borlaug. The miracle performed by this scientist was to all but eliminate world hunger. And his piety manifested itself in his strong sense of vocation. Read more
April 28, 2020
The Last Time We Had a Pandemic Like This
April 28, 2020 By Gene Veith
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In 1968-1969, we had another pandemic very much like this one. The Hong Kong Flu killed 100,000 Americans. But nothing was shut down. Perhaps back then we should have taken more drastic measures. But why are we reacting so differently now? Read more
April 27, 2020
Our Virus-Infected Economy
April 27, 2020 By Gene Veith
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The coronavirus infects and threatens the lives of individuals. It has also infected and threatens the life of our economy. The symptoms of the economic infection include not only massive unemployment and the shutdown of entire industries, but also bizarre economic distortions. Read more
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