The Revivalism of Social Change
Yesterday I made a contrast between post-Christian social justice activism--Wokeness--with the activism of the American civil rights movement that was steeped in Christianity. This is one of those contrasts that causes me to describe myself as a post-progressive Christian.
As is well known, many of the leaders of the civil rights movement were preachers, like Martin Luther King, Jr. and Ralph Abernathy. John Lewis ended up in politics, but was in college to become a pastor when he got swept up into the movement. The movement was connected, organized, energized, and hosted by Black churches. The philosophy of the movement was rooted in the Sermon on the Mount and Gandhian nonviolence. And the Christian vision of love was its guiding moral value. Contrast all that with post-Christian social justice activism.
Yesterday I described what I called the "revivalism" of the civil rights movement. I used that word to describe how much of the movement was aimed at conversion and evangelism. The movement explicitly attempted to change hearts and minds. And from those changed hearts and minds a social movement was born, energized, and sustained.
Here's a clear example of what I mean in contrasting the revivalism of the civil rights movement with post-Christian activism: the role of music. Singing was ubiquitous in the civil rights movement. And even if you weren't a Christian you got pulled into the music of the movement, much of it rooted in Christian hymnody and Black spirituals. A regular and iconic image of the civil rights movement was people holding hands and singing "We Shall Overcome." Just watch some of the footage from the March on Washington in 1963. Better yet, listen to the March on Washington. That march was a massive church service. That is what I mean by revivalism. And it was a revivalism that wrought powerful social and political change.
And the march continues! But the landscape of political resistance has become increasingly post-Christian. Where's the music? Where is the revivalism? Where's the holding hands and singing? This lack of singing in today's political activism is, I believe, diagnostic. As I mentioned in the last post, there is little concern for the moral and spiritual aspects of social transformation. No connection to faith. No appeal to love.
And yet, given that I wrote this three months ago, I expect one response to these reflections is that we don't need a faith-based revival as Christians themselves are the problem today. But guess what? Christians were the problem during the Civil Rights movement. Recall to whom MLK addressed his Letter from a Birmingham Jail: the white pastors of the city. If Christians are the problem, revival is the solution. That was precisely what MLK was doing, the evangelization and conversion of Christians.
Is a Civil Rights era revival possible today among Christians? Only the Lord knows. It may be that God is allowing false and lying prophets to lead American Christianity toward its doom in a cleansing, clarifying conflagration. Perhaps out of those ashes a more faithful church might arise.
Here’s the Big Problem –
In the 2024 US Presidential Election, the total “Electorate” (those legal & eligible to vote) was roughly around 244 Million people. Of that total, roughly 77 Million voted for Trump, and 75 Million for Harris. Looking at the simple math, 77 Million for Trump is roughly 31.5% of the 244 Million Electorate, and 75 Million for Harris is roughly 30.7% of the 244 Million Electorate.
So, here’s the basic problem – 31.5% is less than a 3rd of the total 2024 Voting Population and they are now in control and are setting the social, economic and political agenda for the US for the greater than 2/3rds of the rest of the Country that either voted against those policies or didn't even vote at all. 31.5% is not a Majority of anything, it is factually a 'Minority of the Electorate' and in one sense, that is not a "Democracy" by any definition where a small minority rules and sets the policies and agenda for the rest of the larger majority - the greater than 2/3rds of the rest of the people. Pathetically in 2024, 90 million American's didn't even participate, get to the voting machines or even check a box for anyone or anything.
I would say that currently in this country, voter apathy is inversely proportional to the post-Christian spiritual apathy you're describing. Even now, there are certain agendas being put into place to control voter participation and tabulation. The trouble is that Americans have had an increasing political & spiritual ADD (attention deficit disorder) coupled with RSA (retrograde social amnesia) because they are too damn busy doom scrolling through the feculent landscape of social entertainment media. Those currently constructing a hegemonic/demonic lock on power, are counting on the three D's to facilitate their grotesque agenda - 'Distraction, Dislocation & Dissociation' of the top 1/3rd non-participants.
Richard, you may be on to something. But a challenge I witness is best characterized by the phrase, "poisoning the well." The total decrease in Christianity has reduced its voice, other than a protesting screech from those fearing the loss of their unearned social privileges. And what society may hear, or affiliate with the church, is the news of abuse, scandal, and Trump support.
At a recent 50501 rally at the state capital, one speaker began with, "I am a Christian pastor." There was a rumble in the crowd, a few boos. He went on to speak about Jesus in terms of the sermon on the mount and Mary's prophetic song in Luke. Then the crowd warned up a bit. It laid a groundwork for alliance.
While I agree with your overall point, we have to acknowledge the language of revival and of Christian faith has been poisoned. We, the church, have to acknowledge we are starting in this race far behind the starting line. That doesn't mean we abandon the race, but like the pastor speaking at the rally, we may need to be prepared for a chilly reception.