(CP-7) Christianity thrives in Western Culture

Christianity in its earliest forms thrived amid calls for austerity and this-world denial.  People embraced the movement to lay up treasures in heaven where moth and dust doth not corrupt.  And so the monasteries thrived as Christians became part of the world to come, not the world that is.  They would rather rejoice in the Christian message of purity of spirit rather than the Christian desire to better mankind.  The great monasteries of the Jesuits, the followers of this or that saint became bulwarks of isolation from this world, culminating in St. Thomas Aquinas' tomes hallowing the great works of the Greeks who lived long before did he in the Middle Ages.  He could look back to any age because he did not belong to any age, living as he did in a monastery.  Poverty, chastity of spirit, longing to be not of this world but of the world to come became the hallmark of Christian charity and love for centuries.

Girls were called to the convent to live a life of purity and isolation.  Oh yes, they would venture forth to teach little children how to play with one another under supervision, but the idea ingrained through the Christian message was self-denial of worldly pleasures, because these were the result of one's sinful nature--even as St. Paul had warned in his Epistles.

1.  The First Awakening to Christians that they could be of this world    

I think the greatness of Max Weber in his epic-changing The Protestant Ethic early in the 20th Century was to point out that Christianity could alter its message to accept the ethos of the day such as capitalism and permit the making of lots of money for purposes to benefit those engaged in commerce and trade.  Capitalism could be a worthy Christian endeavor.  That is to say, the Protestants were prepared to become entrepreneurs and managers of businesses and  stewards of the Christian message.  The melding of the two was possible through the concept of hard labor for the sake of godly, Puritanical  living.  Ever since the 17th Century, Christian Bible-touting businessmen have become rich while extolling the virtues of a saintly existence on earth!

The change wrought in the Christian message has become enormous.  No longer was the Kingdom of God a promise of the world to come.  It could exist through human effort on this planet.  They took as their motto according to Weber Proverbs 22:29  "Seest thou a diligent man to his business?  he shall stand before kings; he shall not stand before mean men."  I take it that capitalism is so worthy as to command the audience of the most respected of mankind and not be concerned with what the trifle of men think about such labor and reward.

2.  The Second Awakening of the Christians that as to their human condition and existential situation 

This movement in Christianity starting around WWI is known as the Rise of the Social Gospel, and it has occurred in the US primarily.  It is a major change in Christian thought that not only are we are brothers keeper, as the Old Testament hinted at, but we are in charge of each other's welfare!

This movement among Christians has meshed with the blacks fight for equality, the women's emancipation from household drudgery, and the Third World insinuation into world politics.  The results are unfathomable. It has led to programs to end discrimination in housing, in education, and in the workplace.  Of course, social programs of this dimension take centuries to achieve their end results, but it is important to realize that people like Dr. Martin Luther King and Malcolm-X initially  led the way.

The basis for Christian involvement in social amelioration is John Locke's philosophy that all men are created equal.  In the Bible, we are exhorted to go into all the world and preach the Gospel to every creature.  Everyone is worthy of salvation by God and should abide by God's plan for his life. So it is natural to assume that we are our brother's keeper.

Homelessness, poverty, and conditions of servitude have always been with us; but with Christian charity, we reach out to improve the social conditions of our brethren. 

Because this feature of Christianity is really new, one cannot speculate what its ultimate effect will be.  I can only say that Christianity is moving ahead with these projects to end poverty.  Now it is true that the only weapon so far advanced to achieve the goal is re-distribution of wealth, which the wealthy do not accept as a vehicle for social change.  There should be other means available, not yet advanced, that will achieve this end, too.

You can see that changes in Christian living take centuries to happen; and this not without human agony over the changes.  But I am sure they will take place as society and culture accept better living conditions for people.

The remarkable feature of Christianity is that it is at the forefront of social amelioration!

3.  Society's response for equality of peoples

In every case, I believe, society exacts the same from every group desirous of equal treatment under the rule of law:  CLEAN UP YOUR ACT!

That means each group or sect or race must measure up to the standards the society sets for participating membership.  They are living in a mess; and society insists the group clean it up in order to maintain a measured amount of influence and control over the entire social entity.

For the women in search of equality, it has meant getting a good education in order to compete in a man's world and playing down the impediments of being a woman on earth.

For the blacks it means, establishing a rule of law in their neighborhoods, so that gangs do not go rough-shot over the old and the feeble.  They must do that in their neighborhoods, nobody is going to do it for them.  They need local leadership that enforces quiet and peace in their neighborhoods.  Got it?  At that moment in history, they'll achieve equality.

Then, and only then, the Kingdom of God will be established on earth.