Extinction or Expansion?

"Religion in New Zealand is destined for extinction", ran the headline in the Herald last week, citing a mathematical study of census data from nine developed countries. Because people in places like Australia, New Zealand, Canada and Scandinavia are increasingly listing themselves as having 'no religion,' this study by academics from the American Physical Society is said to indicate that religion will "all but die out" in those places. I take issue with this claim on a number of counts.

First, what people put in the census does not necessarily reflect what they do, especially in times of crisis. It's about what people declare, which could be as much about what they reject (eg their parents' faith) as about what they believe. I have taken many funerals where the family of the deceased start off by saying "we are not religious", or "we don't want any religion in this service" - and then end up being quite happy choosing a commemoration that includes Howard Morrison singing "How Great Thou Art," prayers that address God in a generic way, and eulogies that talk about seeing their loved one again. All religious ideas!

Secondly, the word religion has a broad semantic field that often carries negative connotations. Anyone remember that book How to be a Christian without being Religious? Its title assumes that being religious is a bad thing, or at least something that a true Christian would not want to be. But the dictionary meaning of religion is

"a set of beliefs concerning the cause, nature, and purpose of the universe,
especially when considered as the creation of a superhuman agency or agencies.... "

This encompasses a huge range of spiritualities, including Christ-centred faith, and reminds us that very few of us have absolutely no sense of a purpose to human existence. I remember Winkie Pratney saying to those who ask "if God is loving and just, why do the innocent suffer? that "If God is not a god of love and justice, who says they're innocent, and who cares if they suffer?" And in one of the great interviews with visiting apologist John Lennox this month, I heard him challenging someone who claimed to be an agnostic, and taking from their words that they clearly did believe that truth can be known, and therefore were not agnostic. "Religion" then is at the heart of the Christian faith, but it is also present in myriad ways in the lives of people who do not consciously follow Jesus.

Third is the fact that in New Zealand and Australia at least, religion, and specifically Christianity provides the foundation to a civil society. In Aussie even Baptist-raised non-believer PM Julia Gillard affirms her own strong principles and values, and upholds a basic Christian cultural foundation, rejecting same-sex marriage and euthanasia, and endorsing the social conservatism of many Australians. Belief in some form of deity remains strong in Oz. A 2009 survey of social attitudes found 45 per cent of Australians agreed "there is something beyond this life that makes sense of it all", while a third were not sure and 22 per cent disagreed. My guess is that New Zealanders would be similar.

Fourth, the methodology of the study is suspect, according to comments to this 'Extinction' article when it went into the Dom Post. Some assumptions are false, and the interplay between countries is not considered. And "they do not consider countries where religion is growing at a faster rate than non-religion, such as Russia and China (the logic of their approach would end up with those becoming 100% religious)." In New Zealand the drop in census religion is very likely among people who weren't particularly devoted to institutions and now are just being more honest.

That leads to a fifth point, about the growing number of people who practise "a churchless faith". This term was coined by Alan Jamieson about his research into a group of former churchgoers from Evangelical, Pentecostal and Charismatic churches. They continue to believe, and in many cases pray, read the Bible, and participate in Christian activities. They just do not find involvement in a church helpful. They still see life as a spiritual journey, and church attendance as a temporary choice, as long as it helps that pilgrimage. When it no longer does, it is OK to leave. In Jamieson's second book Called Again, he considered how 'desert times’ can lead people to both different insights into God’s character, and alternative ways to follow God. One reviewer notes that in describing alternative faith journeys, "Jamieson weaves together the thought of great theologians, the experiences and thoughts of the people he has interviewed, biblical stories, analysis of faith stages, and metaphor to create a diverse and rich tapestry." (Sadly now both books are out of print here, though they have been republished by SPCK). I recently put together some material on faith stages or seasons, which may be helpful in understanding the twists and turns of that journey.

Finally, a note from Christchurch is apposite. Pastors there say compassion, hugs and church attendance are up during these difficult post-earthquake days. (There was also something similar from the Anglicans in the paper on the weekend, but now I can't find it). Perhaps dark days make us think about religion. Alan Jamieson uses an illustration from the New Zealand landscape. He describes how stars seem so much brighter in the night sky in the darkness of the country, rather than in the bright lights of the city. “It is the same with the dark nights of the Christian faith. Only in entering the darkness further, in embracing the darkness rather than running from it can we see the light that shines in the darkness.” (Called Again, p 45).

Perhaps religion will never be extinct while there are stars in the sky.

To Chew Over: Who do you know who practises a churchless faith? How can you support them in their faith journey?

In the stars His handiwork I see,
On the wind He speaks with majesty.
Though He ruleth over land and sea,
What is that to me?
I will celebrate Nativity,
For it has a place in history,
Sure, He came to set His people free,
What is that to me?

Til by faith I met Him face to face,
And I felt the wonder of His grace,
Then I knew that He was more
Than just a God who didn't care,
That lived away out there
and .....
Now He walks beside me day by day,
Ever watching o'er me lest I stray,
Helping me to find that narrow way,
He is everything to me.

©Cliff Barrows