What Would Jesus Do? Christian Culture Wars in the Modern West - Professor Alec Ryrie

TL;DR

The history of Protestantism in the modern West has been shaped by politics, particularly the defining moral event of the Second World War. The question "What would Jesus do?" has produced different answers and sheds light on the decline of Protestantism in the past century.

Transcript

good afternoon everybody welcome to this the the last of the lectures in this series on the modern history of protestantism you'll likely have come across the phrase that I used as the title for this lecture what would Jesus do it's become a cliche of Evangelical Protestant usage in modern America and Beyond I spent a a delightful hour or so earlie... Read More

Key Insights

• ⁉️ The question "What would Jesus do?" has been of significant importance in shaping the decline of Protestantism in the modern West.
• 🫱 The Second World War revived self-conscious Christian identity in the Western Allied countries, portraying the war as a battle for Christian civilization.
• 🥺 The political and cultural upheavals of the 1960s led to divisions within Protestantism, particularly regarding issues like abortion and the Vietnam War.
• 🥺 The religious left faced challenges in asserting its religious identity due to its commitment to inclusion, leading to a lack of voice in American politics.

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the significance of the question "What would Jesus do?" in the history of Protestantism?

The question "What would Jesus do?" has been asked urgently by Christians in the modern West, leading to different answers and shaping the decline of Protestantism. Many previous generations saw it as inappropriate, but in the modern era, it has become a novel and divisive question.

Q: How did the Second World War impact Protestantism in the Western Allied countries?

The Second World War marked a resurgence of self-conscious Christian identity in the Western Allied countries. The war was portrayed as a battle for Christian civilization against barbarism. This renewed sense of Christian identity contributed to the decline of Protestantism in Europe and North America.

Q: Why did the religious left face challenges in asserting its identity in American politics?

The religious left, influenced by the political and cultural upheavals of the 1960s, struggled to assert its identity due to its commitment to inclusion and opposition to discrimination. In an attempt to serve society as a whole, they downplayed their confessional self-interest, making it difficult to put their faith at the center of their politics.

Q: How did divisions within Protestantism emerge in the 1960s?

Divisions within Protestantism emerged in the 1960s regarding issues like abortion, feminism, and the Vietnam War. The inability of the religious left to assert its religious identity and the rise of the religious right further impacted the direction of Protestantism in the modern West.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The question "What would Jesus do?" has been asked urgently by Christians in the modern West, contributing to the decline of Protestantism in Europe and North America.

• The Second World War marked a resurgence of self-conscious Christian identity in the Western Allied countries, portraying the war as a holy battle for Christian civilization against barbarism.

• The post-war period saw a modest revival of Christianity in Europe, with a rise in church membership and respect for religious leaders. In the United States, the phrase "under God" was added to the Pledge of Allegiance and "In God We Trust" became the national motto.

• However, the political and cultural upheavals of the 1960s led to divisions within Protestantism, particularly regarding issues like abortion, feminism, and the Vietnam War. The inability of the religious left to assert its identity and the rise of the religious right further impacted the direction of Protestantism.