The Rise and Fall of Christendom - Introduction

A Definition of Christendom

Many definitions of Christendom are available, and the one I offer is not necessarily a more accurate definition than any other. It is, however, an accurate definition of what once was not, then was, and now is passing away. Christendom by my definition is marked by three characteristics together. (When I say Christendom “is,” understand that these three characteristics are more reflective of the past than the present. The premise of this book is that Christendom is passing away.)

     The first characteristic of Christendom is that a majority of the citizens of the state identify as Christians, even if only nominally. One manifestation of this would be that within Christendom most of the adult citizens of the nation have been baptized. Christendom does not mean a state in which the majority of individuals are what evangelicals would call “born again.” It’s not certain if there has ever been such a nation, and if there was it might even call into question Jesus’ teaching about the narrow gate. Christendom is also not a situation where the church controlled the state – a situation not usually present in the western world even during the height of the papacy’s influence. It is simply a state where most citizens identify themselves as Christians and can point to some external factor to show it.

     Second, there is widespread agreement on religious concepts. For instance, within Christendom, almost everyone will understand what is meant when one says “God.” In Christendom, even an atheist will be what I call a “Christian atheist,” in that an argument between an atheist and a believer will start with the two in complete agreement on who the atheist does not believe in. “God” is understood to be the supernatural creator of the universe and also the lawgiver and judge of mankind. Not all readers may follow this, so counterexamples are necessary. Outside of Christendom, in places like the Hindu regions of India, God is not understood by to be a supernatural being independent of the universe, but is instead part of the universe itself. Preceding Christendom in early pagan religions, the gods were not the source of a moral law, nor a judge of mankind. Also within Christendom, Jesus is understood to be divine. The divinity of Jesus separates Christian from Muslim cultures.

     Third, within Christendom, a society’s sense of right and wrong is strongly bent toward traditional Christian morality. This doesn’t mean that people within Christendom widely practiced this morality – the Bible itself teaches that no one is sinless and emphasizes the widespread depravity of the human heart. Instead, it means that the culture’s general view of right and wrong matches Christian traditional morality. Yes, the governor may take bribes, but the citizens know this is wrong and resent it. Some vices that are common outside of Christendom, such as polygamy, almost vanish inside of it. Within Christendom, helping the poor is understood to be a virtue.

     One feature of this definition of Christendom is where it puts the United States. A good way to start an argument within almost any American church is to ask if the United States is a Christian nation, or if it was a Christian nation and is no longer, or if it never really was. The main reason for the argument is that it is hard to agree on what “Christian nation” means. With the above definition of Christendom, it is clear that the United States was once part of Christendom, but today is mostly not.