In recent years social and moral critiques of Christianity have become quite common. Although this form of opposition to Christianity is diffuse and does not come from any single party, it surely exists. Some of it opposes Christian teaching on subjects such as marriage, freedom, and sexual morality. Some of it highlights Christian failings in events like the Holocaust, the sexual abuse scandals, or recent political controversies. These two forms of opposition often become mixed. We can see society becoming unmoored from Christian morality in things as disparate as high court decisions, UN resolutions, and popular culture and media.
I am wondering if this has ever happened before, and if so, where? In the past when Christianity possessed societal power the controversies usually revolved around political power and material goods rather than social and moral clout. Thus when Christianity was co-opted in the past it was usually with respect to political power or material gain. Yet today we see Christianity opposed and co-opted on the basis of social and moral influence. This is a more serious threat, second only to a direct religious challenge. Further, when Christianity is envied for its social and moral influence, infiltration can go far beyond material corruption.
Here are some possibilities to get us started. I will focus on Western Christianity since I am more familiar with it:
In general I am curious to see how Christian societies of past ages handled direct opposition to their social and moral authority. In order to do that there needs to be a coherent antagonist. The French Revolution seems like the best candidate. Can you think of others?
I am wondering if this has ever happened before, and if so, where? In the past when Christianity possessed societal power the controversies usually revolved around political power and material goods rather than social and moral clout. Thus when Christianity was co-opted in the past it was usually with respect to political power or material gain. Yet today we see Christianity opposed and co-opted on the basis of social and moral influence. This is a more serious threat, second only to a direct religious challenge. Further, when Christianity is envied for its social and moral influence, infiltration can go far beyond material corruption.
Here are some possibilities to get us started. I will focus on Western Christianity since I am more familiar with it:
- The Early Church: Christianity quickly became a social threat to the Roman hegemony, and beginning with Constantine vied with paganism for social dominance. Nevertheless, the Empire fell before this could be resolved in any real way.
- The Reformation: This shifted the balance of power between Church and State and between Catholics and Protestants, but I don't think it was a challenge to the social and moral aspects of Christianity. It seems to me that Protestants were challenging the Catholic Church rather than Christianity.
- The French Revolution: Although material and political gain were also significant motives, this is perhaps the strongest example of a widespread social and moral creed which began to differ from Christianity and opposed itself to Christianity.
- Philosophical Opposition: On the heels of the revolution came atheistic figures like Comte, Feuerbach, Marx, and Nietzsche, all of whom directly challenged Christianity on social and moral issues. The accumulation of many such figures may explain the ambivalence towards or even distrust of Christianity that we see today.
In general I am curious to see how Christian societies of past ages handled direct opposition to their social and moral authority. In order to do that there needs to be a coherent antagonist. The French Revolution seems like the best candidate. Can you think of others?