Post-Christian Culture

[Motar]

Barna Group tracks the following 15 metrics related to faith, which speak to the lack of Christian identity, belief and practice.

Post-Christian = meet at least 60% of the following 15 factors (9 or more factors)
Highly Post-Christian = meet at least 80% of the following 15 factors (12 or more factors)

1. do not believe in God
2. identify as atheist or agnostic
3. disagree that faith is important in their lives
4. have not prayed to God (in the last year)
5. have never made a commitment to Jesus
6. disagree the Bible is accurate
7. have not donated money to a church (in the last year)
8. have not attended a Christian church (in the last year)
9. agree that Jesus committed sins
10. do not feel a responsibility to “share their faith”
11. have not read the Bible (in the last week)
12. have not volunteered at church (in the last week)
13. have not attended Sunday school (in the last week)
14. have not attended religious small group (in the last week)
15. do not participate in a house church (in the last year)
SOURCE BARNA GROUP, N=23,018, U.S. ADULTS, WWW.BARNA.ORG

What are your thoughts concerning Barna's Christian metrics above? What is post-Christian culture?

 

[Walter]

What's the point of this thread?

 

[darkbeaver]

Welcome to CC, it's good to have more Christian discussion.

 

[L Gilbert]

Spam?
"What are your thoughts concerning Barna's Christian metrics above?" Not much, just another group that will probably attract a good-sized population of religion/religious people haters.
"What is post-Christian culture?" Probably just what it sounds like; a culture of anti-Christian, cranky people.
Not for me. I'm a live n let live sort.

 

[Motar]

Barna Group's Christian metrics above incorporate:
belief (47%) and practice (53%)
Are belief and practice equally important to Christianity?

Christian practice metrics above involve:
personal practice (25%) and social practice (75%)
Do Christians spend 25% of their time in devotion and 75% engaging others?

Social practice metrics above include:
service (33%) and fellowship (67%)
Did Jesus Christ spend 33% of his social time in service to others and 67% of his people-time with disciples?

 

[Goober]

Did Jesus Christ spend 33% of his social time in service to others and 67% of his people-time with disciples?

Ask him.

 

[Corduroy]

In order to be post-Christian, wouldn't you have to be Christian at some point?

 

[Motar]

In order to be post-Christian, wouldn't you have to be Christian at some point?

Great observation, Corduroy. Biblically-speaking, can a Christian become a post-Christian? Can a culture be Christian?

 

[darkbeaver]

Since the definition of christian is obscured by two thousand years of ad hoc modification I don't suppose there is one genuine christian in existence or has been since Peter. So the post Christian thing is already hoary with age. You must mean the post faux Christian thing.

 

[Sal]

I meet 67%

 

[Motar]

More than 1/3 of Barna Group's metrics above (#7,8,12-15) are specific to Western church culture/activity. If Anjeze Gonxhe Bojaxhiu were to take this survey today, she would be close to post-Christian in practice according to these parameters. Is church activity a reliable measure of Christ-likeness? Are the metrics in this survey valid? How would you define/measure Christ-likeness in a person? Can a culture be Christ-like?

 

[Goober]

Ask him.

motar - Bump to you.

 

[Corduroy]

Great observation, Corduroy. Biblically-speaking, can a Christian become a post-Christian? Can a culture be Christian?

I'm sure different denominations disagree about the possibility of apostasy. Who's to say who's right? As for a Christian culture, I'm sure such a culture would exist if defined loosely enough.

 

[Motar]

I'm sure different denominations disagree about the possibility of apostasy. Who's to say who's right? As for a Christian culture, I'm sure such a culture would exist if defined loosely enough.

Is Christian culture like herd immunity? If enough members of a particular culture receive Christ (the vaccine), are all the members of the culture immunized against sin (the disease)?

 

[Sal]

Is Christian culture like herd immunity? If enough members of a particular culture receive Christ (the vaccine), are all the members of the culture immunized against sin (the disease)?

if enough members of a culture hold to a certain belief it will definitely have an affect upon that culture and steer it's direction, and how it is perceived by outsiders

 

[Motar]

if enough members of a culture hold to a certain belief it will definitely have an affect upon that culture and steer it's direction, and how it is perceived by outsiders

Do you have any historical cultures in mind, Sal? Is perception reality?

 

[Motar]

Admittedly, there is more to this discussion thread than just the validity of Barna Group's (BG's) metrics. There are a number of discussion points in need of definition and consensus:
Who is Christ?
What is Christian?
What is Christian culture?
What is post-Christian culture?
Are BG's metrics a valid measure of culture?
Are BG's metrics a valid measure of Christian?

Any thoughts? Any references for your thoughts?

 

[Sal]

Do you have any historical cultures in mind, Sal? Is perception reality?

actually I didn't at the time but an extreme might be old tribal practices of eating your enemies heart because of the belief that it infused one with their strength.

No perception is not reality, just as belief is not truth although both 'may' be.

 

[Motar]

Who is Christ?
"The first thing Andrew did was to find his brother Simon and tell him, “We have found the Messiah” (that is, the Christ). (John 1:41 NIV)
"The woman said, “I know that Messiah” (called Christ) “is coming. When he comes, he will explain everything to us.” (John 4:25 NIV)

What is Christ like?