Will Christianity rise again?

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I’m afraid we’ll only know in retrospect if the current situation is part of the typical ebb and flow of the people of God, or if this is really, truly, totally, this-is-not-a-drill END TIMES!

Why were wait ing to find out, make sure you’re right with God 🙂
 
TMC said:
Depending on the source you use, somewhere over 2 billion people identify as Christian. You are saying that many are not really Christian. I personally don’t have the power to make that discernment.
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I wouldn’t just blindly trust what someone says when their life tells a different story. Cultural Catholicism is obviously a problem.
 
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I think “complacent, name-only” Christianity is dying out rapidly, at least around me. It is the sincere Christians that are left. Are they growing? I don’t see it in my immediate area. But the stripping away of luke-warm Christians is ultimately a very, very good thing. I think some of the predictions of Pope Benedict on this topic of a future smaller but purified Church are spot on.

I am only talking about my area of the U.S. Obviously putting it in a world-wide perspective may be a lot different.
 
I’m with annem: what country would I move to? I’ve got small children and am disappointed in what the schools are teaching. Luckily mine go to Catholic, but even there, I need to add in more from religion class. The state standards make them learn some things I fully disagree with.

What country still has a good Catholic community but also decent healthcare? Panama? Costa Rica? 🤷
 
Remember that many of those lukewarm, confused, or sinful “Cultural Catholics” that people on here love to denigrate may very well blunder back to much better and more active practice before they die, and we hope and pray that they do.

Making a big point of how they “aren’t really Catholic” is a misguided attitude that often implies some smugness on the part of the one making the judgment.

I remember a story told by a US bishop some years back about how as a boy he was fascinated with stories of Padre Pio, who was alive then. The young boy’s mother was sick with cancer and the boy wrote to Padre Pio asking if his mother would get well. Padre Pio wrote back that she would not get well but that God would grant her a great grace, that her son would be a priest. The bishop described his late mother, from the pulpit, as he told this story, as a Chreaster, not a particularly devout or zealous Catholic. But he said she was still very happy and peaceful to hear what Padre Pio said, and she died happy and presumably having made her peace with God. And of course, her son became not only a priest, but a Bishop.
I suppose people on here would be more interested in talking about how the mom “wasn’t really a Catholic” though.
 
TMC said:
I wouldn’t just blindly accuse someone of not being a “real” Christian.
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If their life show repeated disregard or ignorance of the Church then for spiritual purposes it’s not important if they are a real Christian.
 
VanitasVanitatum said:
If their life show repeated disregard or ignorance of the Church then for spiritual purposes it’s not important if they are a real Christian.
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Really? You must be blessed in a special way. I lack both the ability to discern the souls of others and the… let’s call it self-confidence to label others as spiritually lacking.
 
Tis_Bearself said:
That’s just plain uncharitable, sorry.
We are ALL sinners.
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I’m not saying otherwise.
TMC said:
I lack both the ability to discern the souls of others and the… let’s call it self-confidence to label others as spiritually lacking.
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I’m not talking about their soul’s spiritual state, just about the influence and understanding of the Church which is obviously fundamental to Catholicism.
 
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Quite a lot of Christians hold views that directly oppose the teachings of the Catholic church (contraception, abortion, gay marriage etc). One assumes that they would still be included in the total number of Christians. Or are they to be excluded?
 
Freddy said:
Quite a lot of Christians hold views that directly oppose the teachings of the Catholic church (contraception, abortion, gay marriage etc). One assumes that they would still be included in the total number of Christians. Or are they to be excluded?
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It all depends on the standard and purpose used.
 
VanitasVanitatum said:
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Freddy:
Quite a lot of Christians hold views that directly oppose the teachings of the Catholic church (contraception, abortion, gay marriage etc). One assumes that they would still be included in the total number of Christians. Or are they to be excluded?
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It all depends on the standard and purpose used.
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Let me put it this way: If you say that there is an increase in Christians, are you including those Christians of any denomination, including Catholics, who support, for example, gay marriage, contraception and abortion?
 
Freddy said:
Quite a lot of Christians hold views that directly oppose the teachings of the Catholic church (contraception, abortion, gay marriage etc). One assumes that they would still be included in the total number of Christians. Or are they to be excluded?
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Regardless of the opinions of people on this forum, a Christian is someone who is baptized and accepts and follows Christ as his savior. One could possibly limit it to Trinitarian baptisms.

Those who do this but then go on to be lukewarm, commit sins, have doubts etc are still Christians. They’re just sinful or lukewarm or fallen-away Christians.
 
Freddy said:
If you say that there is an increase in Christians, are you including those Christians of any denomination, including Catholics, who support, for example, gay marriage, contraception and abortion?
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Yes I would say that.
 
The reason the Church had so much influence in Ireland after it’s independence from Britain was becuse Ireland after the war was left impoverished and unable to tackle the severe social conditions it faced and so asked the Church to step in and help which it did. It is unfortunate however because underneath these good deeds there were many incidents of abuse that occurred which left scars across the country. However lets not be foolish enough to think think is what led to the decline of Catholicism in Ireland, this is merely a red herring by the secular minded individuals of today who are simply trying to justify their prideful rebellion against objective truth in favor of their subjectivism.

Ireland like most of the west is gripped by a culture of ego centrism. This and a poor catechesis of the faith has led to many falling away. When you hear many refer to God as a man in the sky or the Bible as a collection of fictional stories it is clear how poorly educated we have been. The Church today is smaller yet more vibrant.
 
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I wasn’t sure if Christianity was the biggest religion (numbers), so I went to that esteemed site, Wikipedia, and wow, it’s true! I was surprised, since there are so many Chinese, many of which practice traditionally Asian religions like Buddhism. But Christians are on top by numbers:

 
We’ll get through the pandemic. I’m currently reading a really good and well-researched book called “Mosquito”–yes, it’s about mosquitos and history in this world.

I had no idea that Rome was once surrounded by marshes which were inhabited by mosquitos, and that many Romans died of malaria, and that many battles by the greatest warriors in the world were decided not by might and weaponry, but by General Anopheles (a type of mosquito) and malaria.

The book describes the growth of Christianity specifically because Christians cared for the thousands suffering from malaria by starting hospitals, and offered prayers (that often worked!) to protect those who were not infected. There are thousands of “amulets” with Christian prayers that Christians gave to those either suffering from malaria or trying to avoid getting infected.

And Christianity not only tried to help people while they were alive, but also promised a beautiful life in heaven after death–so it was very appealing to people who were used to thinking of death as a terror.

When Christianity was finally able to be free of the persecutions (Constantine and Theodosius), and the Vatican was built in Rome, it was a deathtrap because of malaria. This book claims that many pilgrims were terrified to go to Rome because there was a good chance they would contract malaria, suffer greatly, and die of it. St. Peter’s Basilica was eventually built on higher ground (the one designed by Michaelangelo).

The malaria problem continued in Italy until…get this!..dictator Benito Mussolini drained the swamps surrounding Rome! Yes, not until the 20th Century did malaria cease to be a threat in Europe! Wow!

SO…I think COVID-19 will probably bring about stronger Christianity. And I also think that the various civil rights movements going on in this country will bring about stronger Christianity because we, of all people, should and do accept and love people of all races, nationalities, colors, sexual orientations, income levels, and backgrounds.
 
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Yes! Rome for centuries was considered a cesspool of disease due to swamps. I lived there for quite awhile and did a lot of history. I’m interested in your book, so thanks for recommending it!
 
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