Thursday, June 21, 2018

When Faith Returns

by Robert C. Frank

In the raw emotion of the current turbulent civilization in America, Christianity seems to have accepted a position on the sidelines. There is very little teamwork and the truth is difficult to sort out. Judgementalism and finger pointing are rampant. To many of us it is reminiscent of the situation in America that existed in the late 1960’s and early 1970’s. You can find many books in the library published in that period that challenged Christianity, our American government, and our educational system as they existed at that time. In that earlier period, the social turbulence was triggered by the murders of three great leaders, John Kennedy, Robert Kennedy, and Martin Luther King Jr. as well as the accidental killing of four students at Kent State University.  Today it is caused by the accidental introduction of a whole new form of government that doesn’t seem to have any relationship with democracy.

The social turbulence of the late 1960’s and early 70’s reached a maximum in May of 1970 when many of the major universities closed their doors and told their students to go home. Faith in Christianity, American government, and our educational system returned shortly after that and within a year or two, civilization began to improve again. I believe the current social turbulence will also reach a maximum and then faith in Christianity will return again. The history of Christianity is laced with misguided leaders who were self-appointed messiahs, but all have disappeared and the story of Jesus Christ, the servant leader and human expression of our loving God lives on. I am convinced that a new expression of Christianity will emerge and lead us into a wonderful new world with better lives for all people.