Jeune Street

The Immanent Frame blog re-posts a thought provoking piece from Progressive Revival:

What is causing the erosion of Christianity in North America? Most North Americans look at Christianity—especially as embodied in religious institutions—and find it wanting. I suspect that Christianity is in decline because it appears both hypocritical and boring. Although young North Americans express deep longings for a loving, just, and peaceful world, they don’t find an equal passion for transforming society in meaningful ways in most congregations. And, sadly, many churches simply lack the imagination and passion that many spiritual people are searching for. Folks aren’t looking for answers nearly as much as they are trying to clarify their questions and are hungry for accepting communities in which to ask them.

I think the observation that people aren’t looking for answers, “as much as they are trying to clarify their questions” is particularly insightful. Our schools and our media instruct us within a secular framework that is often blind to metaphysical exploration. Public policy discourse is dominated by utilitarian calculus. Politics is consumed by strategy, tactics, and powerplay. Where do we learn to ask the right questions about spirituality? When I talk with some friends and acquaintances about religion and spirituality, it feels like trying to have a conversation with my preverbal nephew — he understands what I’m saying, but finds it impossible to articulate his own desires.

Religion should be about learning to ask the right questions, and about acquiring the discipline of search. And salvation shouldn’t be the point of spiritual departure when joining a religion, but the horizon towards which we walk.