There will be no enduring Christian revival in this or any other Western country without the seed of enormous immigration from Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, the Pacific Islands, and increasingly also Asia.
Stephen Yaxley-Lennon’s spiritual guide is Rikki Doolan, and Doolan’s is Uebert Angel, who is a black Zimbabwean immigrant and a naturalised British citizen, as well as a heretic and probably a crook.
But like his excellent Nigerian predecessor, our excellent Nigerian priest in Lanchester is neither a heretic nor a crook. He was one of 15 diocesan priests ordained together 19 years ago, and 12 of them are now missionaries in the West. Twelve Apostles, indeed.
They are basically starting from scratch.
ReplyDeleteThe best way to do it.
Delete"There will be no enduring Christian revival in this or any other Western country without the seed of enormous immigration from Africa, Latin America, the Caribbean, the Pacific Islands, and increasingly also Asia."
ReplyDeleteUtter tripe. The West spread Christianity to those places and a revival here is perfectly possible-the United States remains 69% Christian to this day.
Christianity is one of but not the only marker of Western identity and culture-the issue is that non-Western migrants also bring the rest of their culture with them. Nigeria, for example, may have a large Christian population but unlike Western societies it also has a problem with cults at all levels of society (the notorious 'Black Axe' being the most common and influential) and, in contrast to us, it is an extremely low-trust society where corruption is normalised and crime is often punished by lynching instead of by the law. 'Necklacing' by forcing suspected thieves inside burning rubber tyres remains a popular punishment.
People from such places bring these alien cultural practices into our midst and create tension. That is why immigration should be strictly limited to Western countries that share a similar culture to ours.
An atheist one, in that case. And in fact. With varying degrees of churchiness, although if you are talking about Britain, then with very, very, very little, and that is not a new phenomenon. But with no God. Even the higher churchgoing figures just after the War, a blip after sustained decline leading up to it, said nothing about what anyone believed. Ask around about that.
Delete“An atheist one, in that case.”
ReplyDeleteIt’s not an atheist one. As I just said the United States for example is 69% Christian. And Western culture is shaped by Christianity, the basis for the WEIRD model that saw the West leapfrog every other civilisation in historical development.
How people declare themselves on forms is of at best only the most limited theological consequence.
DeleteI’m not talking about forms. 40% of Americans are regular churchgoers and the number that identify as believing Christians is higher still. Every US President has been a declared Christian, because it remains fundamental to electability.
ReplyDeleteFigures are similar in more rightwing European countries such as Poland.
The West is certainly not atheist.
None of that proves a thing, and you are behind the times about Poland. Nor has every President of the United States been a declared Christian, and even if he had been, so what?
Delete“None of that proves a thing”
ReplyDeleteThat 40% of Americans are regular churchgoers and nearly 70% self-declared Christians? It confirms your claim that the West is atheist is nonsense. Poland remains highly religious and until recently had a Christian Right government that banned abortion. That every US President has to be a Christian shows the power of Christian faith in the US is such that it remains indispensable to getting elected President.
Wrong on every point.
Delete"Wrong on every point."
ReplyDeleteAn empty assertion, not an argument.
Wrong on every point.
Delete