Are Christians Losing the Culture War?

Are Christians Losing the Culture War?

Are Christian losing the culture war? It appears the culture war is over. And the Christians have lost. Christianity has been canceled. RIP.

Our Local Grade School Christmas Program

It was the shortest day of the year 2023, December 21. Our family went to the local grade school to hear my step grandchildren sing in the annual Christmas program. A joyous time was had by all.

We were so proud of Reynold (nicknamed Ren) and his younger sister, Alice. Grandma Karen exudes that family pride.

Are Christians losing the culture war to winter, secularism, and paganism?

Despite the joyful holiday mood, I noticed something peculiar. Unexpected. Dramatic.

In the entire hour plus of the school music program, not once was the name of Jesus – let alone the fact that Jesus was born in Bethlehem — mentioned. Nothing verbal about the origin of Christmas was spoken. No Christmas carols mentioning Jesus were sung. Really? Yes, really!

One of the program’s major themes was winter. One song the children sang referenced snowflakes falling. It was cute.

We live on the California coast. We have no winter. So, how does winter warrant replacing the babe in a Bethlehem manger?

Solstice, Kwanzaa, and generic paganism

The children did sing a song alleged to have been sung by Native American tribes around the campfire about the solstice. We actually sang not just about the about relationship of the sun to the earth. We sang a carol about the spirit of solstice. Evidently the solstice has a spirit that we should imbibe.

This song was followed by another song celebrating Kwanzaa. The well rehearsed children sang with gusto. The tune is catchy.

Now, I do note that a Hanukkah song was lifted up. Nice. Fitting for this time of the year.

But I ask: are Christians losing the culture war? It certainly looks like it if this event represents today’s American culture. Not just losing. The war is lost.

Are Christians losing the culture war to pluralism?

Are Christians losing the culture war to pluralism? Certainly not if this school is typical of other public institutions. This program was deliberately designed to exclude anything smacking or even hinting of Christianity. Ordinarily, the doctrine of pluralism includes Christians along with other religious traditions. In this public school, Christians were excluded from the collection of cultural expressions.

I gather without knowing for certain that our local public school in San Anselmo is similar to public schools everywhere across the country. I hope this is not true. But, if it is true, then there’s only a positive answer to the question: are Christians losing the culture war to aggressive secularism and artificially contrived paganism? Might as well tuck the white flag of surrender into our knap sack and slink home.

Conclusion

So, I wonder. What did we Christians do to so alienate public culture? Why does the wider culture institutionally cancel Christianity, as if this great tradition simply does not exist?

I’d like to go to the confessional booth and repent. But, I’m not clear on just what we did wrong.

▓

Ted Peters is a public theologian who directs traffic at the intersection of science, religion, and ethics. Peters is an emeritus professor at the Graduate Theological Union, where he co-edits the journal, Theology and Science, on behalf of the Center for Theology and the Natural Sciences, in Berkeley, California, USA. In 2023 he published The Voice of Public Theology, a collection of previous articles. See his website: TedsTimelyTake.com.