Revival or Political Action

In the 1700’s the First Great Awakening helped shape the new nation, rejuvenating the spirit of the colonies and propelling them forward to stand on their own as an independent nation. In the early part of the century, the religious climate of the colonies began to cool as men began to focus on building prosperity instead of seeking after God. Several great preachers, Jonathan Edwards being in the lead, vigorously proclaimed the Word of God in the power of the Spirit, igniting a revival the swept across the New World. The basis of the Great Awakening was the Bible and revival broke out when men began to live their lives according to the Word of God. The major result of the Great Awakening was the founding of schools to teach the Word of God to the next generation. Such great universities as Harvard, Yale and Princeton owe their existence to the Great Awakening.

In the 1800’s the Second Great Awakening helped shape the growing nation, calling many to work to rectify the many of the social ills plaguing the growing urban and industrial areas. Revival spread like wildfire through the frontier, as circuit preachers and revivalists whipped the hardened frontiersmen into a frenzy. The fire spread back east as well, and the whole nation was stirred. Prominent preachers, such as Charles Finney, Lyman Beecher, Barton Stone, and Peter Cartwright, focused not on a deep understanding of the Word of God, as in the First Great Awakening, but on getting people to make a “decision” for Christ. As a result, the revival was much more emotional and given to extreme excesses. In spite of this, the revival sparked a nation-wide effort to stomp out social ills and injustice. Instead of establishing universities, they established hospitals, orphanages, the YMCA, temperance societies and pursued women’s rights and the end of slavery. The greatest immediate impact was the rise of the abolitionists and the Civil War. The end of slavery was greatly brought about because of the Second Great Awakening.

In the 1900’s there was no great revival. Instead, conservative Christians retreated from the world in response to the embarrassment of the Scopes Trial and the incessant attacks of scientific rationalism. Mainline denominations responded to this onslaught by jettisoning orthodox theology and adapting to the growing rationalistic and scientific mindset of the nation. By rejecting miracles, creation, biblical inerrancy, the deity of Christ, and the sacrificial atonement, mainline churches lost their distinctiveness and spiritual power. They focused on social issues, such as the poor, segregation and equal rights. However, they lost the ability to change the spiritual condition of the nation.

Conservative Christians, on the other hands, retreated from the world and had a fortress mentality. It wasn’t until the 1970’s that they began to venture out of their enclaves and their own unique subculture to engage society. However, instead of seeking to renew society by first renewing the church through revival, Conservative Christians sought to change society through political action. First, they helped the first “born again” president to get elected. However, they quickly dropped Jimmy Carter in favor of the suave Ronald Reagan. Many Conservative Christians were enamored with Reagan and thought that he would be instrumental in restoring the nation spiritually. However, it is doubtful is Reagan was even a “born again” Christian according to Conservative Christian standards. His successor, George Bush Sr. did even less to solve the social ills that Conservative Christians lamented. Eight years under Bill Clinton frustrated their efforts until they got George Bush Jr. into office. Along with dominating the executive branch, Conservatives also took control of the legislative and judicial (somewhat) branches as well.

In spite of obtaining all of this political power in the last three decades of the 20th century, there has been little improvement in our society. There has been no revival, no spiritual renewal, no massive social change. Christianity had little impact on the ills of society in the 20th century. Unlike the previous two centuries, where revival brought social change, this last century brought neither revival nor social change, primarily because the order was reversed. Until the church seeks revival, and allows God to change us first, there will be no change in society. If the church is languishing and suffering from many of the same ills as society, it is powerless to make any difference. I'm not saying Christians shouldn't be involved in politics--they must--but that political action is no substitute for revival and the action of God.

While Mainline churches became like the world in their beliefs, and lost their influence, Conservative Christians became like the world in their practice, and lost all credibility and power. If the church is no different from the world, in belief and practice, it will be incapable of solving the problems that plague our nation. We need a mighty work of God, not man, that sweeps through the church, blowing out the dust within, making it holy, righteous and pure, so that it can be filled with the Spirit. Until then, we really have nothing to offer to the world.