The soundtracks of Christendom…and post-Christendom.

This article is part of a series. Click here to read previous instalments.

Last week we saw that humans are designed to be musical creatures and that music is a powerful gift that can be used for good or ill. We saw that it is both an expression and a shaper of human culture – such that what is popular, musically speaking, will always reflect a society’s spiritual condition.

With this in mind, let’s step back in time and consider, in broad terms, how Western music has developed up to the present day.

The Sounds of Christendom

It is difficult to overstate the influence that Christianity has had on the development of Western music – and always in a way that has reflected the state of the Church. In medieval and Renaissance times, when the Bible was still in Latin and religion was largely the domain of priests and monks, a clear division existed between the [Catholic] Church and the people. Accordingly, music was also divided quite neatly into sacred (i.e. church) and secular (i.e. folk, entertainment) traditions, the latter of which varied in its reverence for God and often referenced pre-Christian, pagan themes.

With the Reformation, all of this changed: faith suddenly became available to the masses – a matter for communal discussion, meeting, sharing and singing. Europe’s culture was fundamentally reshaped by Protestantism – and committed Lutherans like JS Bach and George Frideric Handel carried this into their music, devoting their lives to composing expressly for God’s glory.

It is difficult to overstate the influence that Christianity has wielded on the development of Western music.

This meant that through the 17^th and 18^th Centuries, Europe’s musical landscape (just as with its art and architecture) benefited from a broad cultural backdrop of biblical belief. As such, both Baroque and Classical music¹ developed an appreciation for order and the beauty of form.

Music of those centuries reflected Enlightenment ideals, yes, but also the assumption that the universe was divinely ordered and designed to be both functional and beautiful, to the glory of God. Right up until the 20^th Century, the devil remained a macabre figure, referenced in jest or as a nemesis.

20^th Century: Post-Christendom

But as Europe abandoned its Judeo-Christian moorings particularly after World War II, so trends in art, philosophy, architecture and music all tended to reject the former beauty of classical order, in favour of the ‘postmodern’ and ‘avant-garde’.

In music, orderly and even phrases were rejected in favour of abstract forms. Harmonious chords were replaced with dissonance. Just like society, music became disillusioned and cynical.² Instead of music proudly composed to the glory of God, postmodern composers like Alexander Skriabin declared themselves god and dabbled freely in the occult.³

Meanwhile, as ‘popular’ music and culture departed from broadly ‘classical’ music into jazz, rock and pop, and from there exploded into innumerable sub-genres, so these too have become expressions of their background culture: a society embracing anything but Christianity.

Whatever the genre, as people have forsaken a biblical worldview, and as the mass media has exported music to millions in a very short space of time, so the enemy has moved in to fill the spiritual vacuum and wield music’s power to influence the lives of people all over the world.

1960s-1980s: The Popularisation of satanic Music

There has been much debate about how first blues and jazz, and then rock and roll, formed part of a wider rebellion against Christianity and its moral moorings. However, I will jump on here to the deliberate infusion of occult themes into popular music from the 1960s onwards, in tandem with post-war ‘liberation’ movements (political, sexual, drug-related, etc).

Through the 1960s, thanks to celebrity interest in occultists such as Anton LaVey and Aleister Crowley, the idea of paying homage to satan through popular music really took off.

Through the 1970s and 80s, in a drug-fuelled haze and helped along by the new age influence of Brian Eno (a self-confessed ‘evangelical atheist’ with a hatred for Israel but a big influence in the music industry), occult imagery and new age/satanic references in pop and rock music became quite fashionable.

As Europe abandoned its Judeo-Christian moorings particularly after World War II, so trends in art, philosophy, architecture and music all tended to reject the former beauty of classical order.

Whether or not artists really believed in what they were referencing (I think both God and satan have taken it very seriously, even if they didn’t!), there is plentiful evidence to suggest satanic influence on many high-profile bands and artists, ranging from 60s rock-and-rollers like Jerry Lee Lewis and Little Richard to iconic groups like The Beatles, The Rolling Stones and Led Zeppelin; from rock bands like The Eagles, U2 and AC/DC (of Highway to Hell fame) to megastars like Jimi Hendrix and David Bowie.

Led Zeppelin logo, making use of occult imagery. See Photo Credits.Alongside this rose heavy metal and ‘death metal’ music, with bands such as Iron Maiden, Judas Priest and Black Sabbath, and later Metallica and Megadeth, all professing occult allegiances. By the late 1980s, this part of the music world had grown so dark that it involved on-stage rituals and the glorification of satanic violence, including rape and murder.

As part of this, there are many stories of musicians genuinely selling their souls to the devil to ensure success, ‘channelling’ demons whilst onstage and ‘receiving’ songs whilst on drugs. Just a few examples:

• "Someone else is steering me. I'm just along for the ride. I become possessed when I'm on stage." (Angus Young, AC/DC)⁴
  
• “I was directed and commanded by another power, the power of darkness, the power of the devil, satan.” (Little Richard)⁵
  
• “I can explain everything better through music. You hypnotise people and when you get people at their weakest point you can preach into their subconscious what we want to say.” (Jimi Hendrix)
  
• “I wanted to marry Lucifer. I don’t consider Lucifer an evil force. I feel his presence in the music. I feel he comes and sits on my piano.” (Tori Amos)
  
• “I’ve sold my soul to the devil. But my joy is when you’re like possessed, like a medium…I’ll be sitting around and it’ll come in the middle of the night or at a time when you don’t want to do it – that’s the exciting part. I don’t know who the *** wrote it, I’m just sitting here and the whole *** song comes out. So you’re like driven and you find yourself over on a piano or a guitar and you put it down because it’s been given to you...” (John Lennon)
  

How far we have fallen since Handel’s Messiah!

There is plentiful evidence to suggest satanic influence on many high-profile bands and artists.

Millennial Pop

Through the 1990s and 2000s, heavy occult rock grew less fashionable as an expression of youthful rebellion against the status quo (though it has never lost its cult following). It was replaced by narcissistic pop, hip-hop and R&B club tunes, pushing messages about personal indulgence, sexual consumerism and, latterly, aggressive feminism – again, reflecting the spirit of the age.

However, through the superficial glitz of 21^st Century me-centred, licentious pop, occult overtones have not been absent. Mega-stars like Lady Gaga, Katy Perry, Nikki Minaj and Iggy Azalea are just a few household names, followed avidly by millions of teenage girls, who have carried occult or pagan themes into their music and videos. And who can forget Beyonce’s pregnant performance at last year’s Grammy Awards, when she ‘channelled’ a variety of African and Indian fertility goddesses onstage.⁶

Alongside this, electronic dance music (EDM) genres such as house, drum-and-bass and trance have continued the satanic themes of earlier heavy metal, including intense volume (said to induce depression, rebellion and aggression), repetitive rhythms designed to empty the mind, and builds and releases intended to mimic sexual activity.⁷ These kinds of music have carried late-20^th Century rave and drug culture into the millennium and beyond.

Whether we are considering the satanic rock music played at the Bataclan Concert Hall in Paris in 2015 (and, according to Pastor JD Farag,⁸ a recurring influence in the lives of American teen shooters), or the disgracefully immoral lyrics of pop stars like Ariana Grande (who performed at Manchester Arena before the attack last May), we begin to see just how extensive the satanic foothold on the music industry is – and how intently focused it is on shaping the minds of children and teenagers.

Whilst not all music written and performed by non-Christians is necessarily evil, it is certain that the enemy has been given plenty of room within the industry at large. This is simply a result and reflection of the spiritual state of wider society.

There are many stories of musicians genuinely selling their souls to the devil to ensure success, ‘channelling’ demons whilst onstage and ‘receiving’ songs whilst on drugs.

Discernment Needed

This has been a very sweeping analysis and I am aware that there are plenty of anomalies that don’t fit with the broader trends outlined here. That’s why there is great need for discernment in these days, for ourselves and for our loved ones.

The average Briton listens to 3,500 songs per year and spends more than 1/10 of their waking hours listening to music, according to a recent study.⁹ For 18-24 year olds this rises to a whopping 3½ hours of music per day. Christians need to wake up to the music we are allowing to become the backdrop of our lives.

We know that how we use our bodies is important (1 Cor 6:19-20). With our bodies we can glorify God, or we can rebel and be defiled. Just as it matters what we let pass in front of our eyes (Ps 101:3) and what we let come out of our mouths (Matt 15:11), so it matters what we allow to go into our ears (and the ears of our children and grandchildren), how we dance and, if we are musical, what we play. God calls us to focus on “whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable…excellent or praiseworthy” (Phil 4:8).

With this in mind, next week we will consider how the spirit of the age has infiltrated modern worship music.

References

1 Generally accepted dates for the Baroque period in music are 1600-1750, and for the Classical period 1750-c.1810.

2 E.g. see here.

3 See here.

4 Hit Parade, July 1985. Quoted here.

5 Taken from JD Farag’s update of 18 February, Youtube. All subsequent quotes likewise.

6 For a detailed analysis of the symbolism employed in Beyonce's performance, click here.

7 I am indebted to this article for the details about rock music's components.

8 See note 5.

9 See here.

Paul Luckraft reviews ‘Into the Lion’s Den’ by Steve Maltz (Saffron Planet, 2018).

When a prolific author such as Steve Maltz claims that his latest book is his ‘most important ever’, it is worth considering why. Certainly it is a timely book and its message vital, both in its socio-political analysis (parts 1 and 2) and its Christian response (part 3, which occupies just over half the book).

The title alludes to Daniel being tested in the lion's den. Christians today face a different den, but an equal threat: Western culture is our lion's den. In recent decades our enemy the devil has been prowling round seeking to devour (1 Pet 5:8), and has succeeded in changing our society dramatically.

In this eye-opening book, Maltz examines satan’s chosen method in the West – the unseen force behind the current explosion of political correctness, identity politics and blame culture – which goes by the name of Cultural Marxism.

Dismantling Society’s Building Blocks

Maltz has done some detailed research on the origins of our current social scene and its threat to Christian witness, presenting it in his usual readable style. He also provides a full and clear response to the threat of Cultural Marxism, drawing largely on his previous writings (Hebraic Church, Livin’ the Life) which in retrospect can be seen as preparatory to this book.

Maltz explains how Cultural Marxism took the failed ideas of economic and political Marxism and repackaged them in subtler, cultural terms, using techniques from other academic disciplines. The result was a “covert cultural infiltration, hidden in plain sight” (p8) that has made massive inroads into undermining the Judeo-Christian foundations of modern Western society.

satan’s chosen method to devour the West is Cultural Marxism.

He starts with Alice Bailey’s ten-point plan (first formulated in 1948) to wrench society away from its Christian roots, and shows how this was then built upon by others, in particular Herbert Marcuse and Theodor Adorno, whose writings were very influential in the 1950s. This eventually led to the creation of the Frankfurt School and the development of Critical Theory in which everything is to be deconstructed, the aim being to ‘liberate’ those who have been oppressed for so long by Christianity and its associated institutions.

In Cultural Marxist thinking, points of previous stability such as the family, or the notion of two genders, are re-interpreted as inherently oppressive. The notion of objective truth is also considered tyrannical - relativism must become the norm. Truth is whatever you want it to be.

The Bible in particular, previously the ultimate arbiter of truth, is to be continually re-interpreted to support these new ideas, rather than read to bring us to a saving knowledge of God.

Victims vs Oppressors

Cultural Marxism divides society into oppressors - those clinging to a biblical framework - and oppressed: so-called ‘victim groups’, who need to be liberated from the ‘repressive’ norms of traditional Christianity. Today’s victim culture is the direct creation of Critical Theory which “began to roll out a series of ‘causes’, centring on those deemed to be ‘victims’” (p46).

The law of Cultural Marxism, which is ultimately as authoritarian as its political predecessor, is that these causes represent true freedom, and so must be upheld by everyone. To oppose or even question them is unacceptable, and so warrants derisive, shut-down treatment (e.g. labels such as ‘homophobic’, ‘racist’, ‘sexist’, ‘fascist’). Only Christians can never be considered as victims - after all, they are the oppressors, who have held the upper hand for so long!

Meanwhile we now have a whole range of potential ‘micro-aggressions’, anything that can be deemed to cause offence to victims’ feelings, ranging from casual comments to displaying biblical texts, wearing a cross or offering to pray for someone.

Cultural Marxism divides society into oppressors - those clinging to a biblical framework - and oppressed: victims who need to be liberated from the ‘repressive’ norms of traditional Christianity.

Cultural Marxism is seen as a progressive movement, helping us turn away from old superstitions, outdated morality and the restrictions of the past. Maltz has illuminated all these trends in a way that is easy to understand. We see how for decades Cultural Marxists, first in academia and then outward into politics and the media, have been pulling the strings behind the scenes in a war for hearts, minds and, ultimately, souls.

Dealing with the Madness

He concludes there “is no real hope for our society if Cultural Marxism is allowed to continue unchecked” (p71).

However, he does not finish there. In Part 3, ‘Dealing with the madness’, he offers a way for Christians not only to survive in this new culture but also to engage with it for the sake of the Gospel.

His starting point is that “we are not called to fix the Kingdom of the World, instead our role should be in the execution of the Great Commission, in helping to rescue people from this Kingdom by guiding them into the Kingdom of God” (p93).

This has always been our role, but now there is a greater urgency, as well as a greater difficulty. Yet there is also a greater opportunity. Despite the dangers of Cultural Marxism, the Gospel is not fettered and God remains sovereign. Perhaps he has allowed all this to shake us out of complacency and force us to re-evaluate our effectiveness? Cultural Marxism may have done us a favour if it results in a more authentic Christianity, one that is more Hebraic, more ‘first century’.

By exploring this possibility and how to achieve it, Into the Lion's Den is an exciting book, not a depressing one.

Has God allowed Cultural Marxism to proliferate to shake the Church out of its complacency?

Encouragement to Live Distinctively

Maltz takes Titus 2:11-15 as our mission statement for these times, using it to show how we can begin ‘Reaching a World gone mad’ (the book’s subtitle). He also draws on the main points of his previous book, Livin’ the Life, about honouring God, reflecting Jesus and engaging with the Spirit, arguing that Christians need to live distinctively.

He asserts that “our best weapon” in dealing with Cultural Marxism (p139) is understanding the difference between function and form. We must function as Christians, not just have the outward form. If we can’t talk about or quote Jesus without being criminalised, then we must become living examples of God’s word.

Towards the end of the book Maltz makes a vital point when he says that “Reaching a World gone mad is going to require more Godly Wisdom, rather than relying on our own powers of articulation or knowledge or experience” (p195). The book contains some real life examples of Christians (from all walks of life) being grilled in TV interviews, as good illustrations for us to learn from. When we speak up, God’s wisdom is needed. But if we ask him and listen, he will give us the words.

Over a long period, Cultural Marxism has been a creeping threat. We may not have seen it coming, but now we can see it clearly at work. But many may still be puzzled as to how our society arrived in its current state, how we got to this particular kind of madness, and how to respond. This book addresses these issues and should be read and then read again until we have absorbed its vital message.

How important the book will be only time will tell, but it deserves to be widely read and discussed.

Into the Lion's Den (238pp) is available from Saffron Planet Publishing for £10.

Further Information

Steve Maltz’s next Foundations conference takes up the same theme of Cultural Marxism – there are still some places left. Please see our News page for further details, and for information about further events involving Steve Maltz.

Paul Luckraft reviews ‘The Death of Western Christianity’ by Patrick Sookhdeo (Isaac Publishing, 2017).

Patrick Sookhdeo’s latest book must be one of the most important to emerge in 2017. Its penetrating analysis of the decline and possible demise of Christianity in the Western world is both alarming and yet highly plausible, simply because he adequately demonstrates something that Tozer first articulated, that the God of modern Christianity is not the God of the Bible (p3).

The beliefs of historic Christianity have been bent to satisfy our own self-indulgent needs and lifestyles. He claims that in our post-Christian era the Church in the West is scarcely distinguishable from the world and concludes that it is “well and truly trapped in the dungeons of its own decadence” (p14).

There are excellent if somewhat succinct sections on the many issues that have contributed towards the death throes of Christianity, including pluralism, hedonism, consumerism and especially Cultural Marxism, which is a major influence on our society today and has done so much damage to our foundations.

In addition, the onslaught of contemporary culture has already had a devastating effect upon the morals of younger people who profess Christianity but whose main goal in life remains that of self-fulfilment.

Sookhdeo’s latest book must be one of the most important to emerge in 2017.

Getting to the Heart of the Problem

There is also an illuminating chapter on our current post-truth era. The effect of such ‘truth decay’ has been to create ‘alternative facts’, ‘fake news’, ‘redefined realities’ and a situation where lying is seen as acceptable, even actively encouraged. Sookhdeo argues that the Church must take its share of the blame as it “has been influenced by the post-truth phenomenon and has been at times complicit in its spread” (p79).

In one of the most disturbing parts of the book the author explains that the marginalisation of Christianity has now been accomplished and the next phase is its criminalisation. The issues of discrimination, hate crime and hate speech are well explained and illustrated. Christians are now subject to intense scrutiny and even entrapment. Even the simple threat of prosecution can have a chilling and destabilising effect.

The key chapter of the book is that on Christian identity, which the author pinpoints as the heart of the problem. Losing our distinctive identity and calling means we lose the right to exist, but regaining it offers a means of survival and eventual re-strengthening. Here is the way forward, based upon knowing what we should believe and actually believing it, which includes living it out without fear or compromise.

A Stark and Difficult Message

Overall the author paints a disturbing and rather demoralising picture, one in which the Western Church can stand accused of dereliction of duty, even apostasy. How the Church has gone from Apostolic to apostate is a sad tale to relate, and not an easy one to read. The message is stark: “The West is not merely passively post-Christian and indifferent to Christianity; it is now actively anti-Christian and profoundly intolerant of the Christian faith” (p99). But it is a message that must be understood.

For the Church, losing its distinctive Christian identity and calling means it loses the right to exist.

Sookhdeo packs his book with many facts and figures, especially from the US, and uses many examples to make his case. Of course, there are exceptions to this dire situation; there will always be a faithful remnant. Revival and reversal are always possible, but preparing for even greater persecution in the future must be taken seriously.

The book ends with 28 pages of sources and references, an index of biblical references and a comprehensive general index.

The Death of Western Christianity (214pp) is available for £10 (free postage) from the Barnabas Fund website. Retails at £12.99.

How a hot seaside property unlocked the door to the nations!

Having lived in a ‘bubble’ during a lengthy tour of Israel visiting sites connected with the Gospel that has changed the world, it came as a shock to re-enter the atmosphere of nations in turmoil – Germany in trouble, Mugabe finally deposed in Zimbabwe and Britain continuing to fight both internal and external battles in the wake of Brexit.

There is perhaps a message in this strange transition – the countries in difficulty have been built largely on a Judeo-Christian ethos, but have begun to cast off its ‘shackles’ in favour of a no-holds-barred secular humanist system.

The Story of Cornelius

The last ten days of our four-week trip was spent at Jaffa, just south of Tel Aviv, an old port city known in Bible times as Joppa, where the Apostle Peter had a vision that brought the good news of Jesus to the entire Gentile world.

He was staying at Simon the Tanner’s house (which is still there) and was resting on the rooftop when he fell into a trance and saw a vision of all kinds of animals, including those regarded as unclean by Jews.

This was not, as some suppose, a license to eat pork, but a supernatural message that he was not to regard Gentiles as being unworthy of God’s love. It coincided with a similar encounter experienced by a Roman centurion called Cornelius in the coastal city of Caesarea, some 40 miles north. Cornelius was a God-fearing man who loved the Jews, and an angel appeared to him saying that his prayers had been heard and he was to send for a man called Peter, who was staying with Simon the Tanner at his house by the sea. The rest is history.

Peter’s vision was not, as some suppose, a license to eat pork, but a supernatural message that he was not to regard Gentiles as being unworthy of God’s love.

Joppa: The Start of Western Civilisation?

Cornelius and his extended family heard the triumphant message of the Gospel and were filled with the Holy Spirit, just as the Jewish disciples had been on the Day of Pentecost. This opened the door for the good news to spread across the nations, bringing kindness, compassion and justice with it which helped to establish a powerful force known as Western civilisation.

Tragically, the Jewish people were exiled throughout the world within a generation of Jesus’ death and resurrection after the Romans destroyed Jerusalem and massacred many of its inhabitants. And Christians eventually translated the Bible into hundreds of languages, further enabling the Gospel to spread.

But God had not forgotten the people with whom he had made an unbreakable covenant and, in fulfilment of many ancient prophecies, the scattered seed of Abraham finally took root in the Promised Land after nearly 2,000 years.

Israel’s Spiritual Restoration

Just as the Gospel was originally ‘exported’ from Joppa, so it has now become a re-entry point for Jews¹ – not only coming back to the land, but in being restored to their Lord.

My stay there was unplanned as I was initially prevented from returning to the UK due to new restrictions on ‘foreigners’ like me. Though South African-born and still a citizen of that country (my wife is British), I have lived in England for nearly 50 years. Yet I now apparently need a visa – though an inked stamp in an old passport sent over by neighbours eventually proved sufficient!

We stayed in a guesthouse which also hosts two Messianic congregations (Jews who follow Jesus) as well as a music school led by a former director of the Russian Philharmonic Orchestra. It was a very moving experience to witness hands and eyes lifted to the skies in adoration of the Lord in a revived form of ancient Hebrew as we worshipped together on a Friday night – the start of the Jewish Sabbath. Headsets were provided for Russian members and English visitors like us.

Just as the Gospel was originally ‘exported’ from Joppa, so it has now become a re-entry point for Jews – not only coming back to the land, but in being restored to their Lord.

Committed to the spiritual restoration of Israel, this peaceful oasis is perfectly placed to go some way towards achieving this divine goal, with its great potential for reaching out to Greater Tel Aviv where almost half the country’s Jewish population lives.

The whole ethos of the place beats loudly with a heart of love for the largely lost world around them, who find welcome, warmth and hospitality in this gem of an international community steeped in history and within a short walk of some of the most significant sites in biblical history, not to mention magnificent beaches.

Reality is Tough

Life in Tel Aviv is tough, rough and expensive! I watched poor people struggling as they waited in the swamp of a filthy launderette while others begged for food and wandered the streets with no apparent hope. But there are also swanky high-rise hotels and a bustling downtown area overshadowed by skyscrapers, with many indulging in a hedonistic lifestyle of clubs and coffee bars. But they are living in a bubble, afraid to confront reality.

I met one of them at the airport, a charming young lady commuting between London and Tel Aviv, confessing to being a ‘secular Jew’ yet listening with interest when I shared of our study tour learning about the Jewish roots of the Christian faith. She admitted to being shocked when she left her ‘bubble’ to visit friends in the north who lived within the sound of exploding bombs across the border in Syria where violence continues to rage.

But even in Tel Aviv the mangled wreck of a beachside café stands as a stark reminder of the constant threat facing its inhabitants – a bloody terror attack killed 21 mainly young people enjoying a night out there just three months before 9/11.

Although in general we sensed an atmosphere of profound peace throughout our tour, there were a couple of incidents to remind us of the conflict that has raged here ever since the Jews began returning to the land. The IDF bombing of a Hamas terror tunnel raised a security alert as the organisation had promised vengeance, and a suicide bombing in a Druze village just across the border in Syria caused another alarm – and a long wait at a checkpoint.

Messianic congregations in Tel Aviv, committed to the spiritual restoration of Israel, are perfectly placed to help achieve this divine goal.

Turning and Returning

The resettling of Jews in Israel following their long exile is very reminiscent of the time of Nehemiah 2,500 years ago when they returned from 70 years in Babylon. Nehemiah was given authority by King Artaxerxes of Persia to restore the broken walls of Jerusalem, but his work was strongly opposed by others in the surrounding lands.

Now the Jews have returned once more to the Promised Land, and yet again they face fierce opposition. Nehemiah’s men built the walls using one hand for construction and the other to hold a weapon – exactly as Israel has developed since the birth of the modern state as ancient ruins have been rebuilt, barren wastes have been richly cultivated and wars have been won against all odds.

When, in Nehemiah’s time, the city was finally re-built and made secure, Ezra was assigned to read the Book of the Law, as a result of which the people repented of how far they had strayed from God’s rule. And now Jewish people are returning to the Lord once more in fulfilment of ancient prophecies, with Jeremiah adding that there will come a day when they will all know the Lord, “from the least of them to the greatest” (Jer 31:34).

If Jews are thus turning back to God, it means the return of Jesus is that much closer (Zech 12:10, 14:4; Rom 11:26). But what of the nations to whom the Gospel was graciously given? Will they be among the sheep or the goats on Judgment Day (see Matt 25:31-46). On the closing page of the Bible, Jesus says: “Yes, I am coming soon.”

Come, Lord Jesus!

Notes

1 Tel Aviv’s Ben Gurion Airport is not far away.

Post-war pop culture and the Church.

We continue our serialisation of ‘Blessing the Church?’, previous instalments of which can now be found here. After last week’s outline of the dramatic social and cultural changes in the West that followed the end of World War II, Dr Clifford Hill now looks at key characteristics of these changes and the impact these had on the Church.

CHARACTERISTICS OF POP CULTURE

Youth-Dominated

Pop culture was essentially a youth culture which rejected the old, the outworn and the outdated. The emphasis was upon a search for new things and the discarding of the old. It was a culture from which, in the early days, the elderly felt shut out and devalued. Even in such things as clothing, the elderly felt disadvantaged as the consumer-driven market sought to satisfy the demands of the young.

The development of new technology in the brave new world emerging after the devastation of World War II reinforced the adulation of new things and led to the development of what was seen as 'the throwaway society'.

On the positive side, the period of reconstruction after the war needed the vitality and creativity of youth. It needed fresh energy, new ideas, unhindered by the failed policies of the past which had dragged the world into two devastating wars in the first half of the century. But the adoption of new ideas needed to be guided by firmly-rooted principles, if confusion and chaos were to be avoided.

Anti-Tradition

Any new movement contains an element of protest and rejection of the past. Pop culture was seeking to develop its own ideology and was therefore challenging traditional values. Inevitably the collected wisdom of the past was questioned as a whole new set of social mores applicable to the present day was sought.

Young people were quick to embrace new ideas and to say that the policies pursued by their fathers had only led the world into the horrors of war, culminating in the nuclear bomb devastation of Hiroshima and Nagasaki. The anti-nuclear campaigns of CND linked with the more positive campaigns of the peace movement which produced the 'flower people' and slogans such as 'Make love not war'.

The period of post-war reconstruction needed the vitality and creativity of youth, but this also needed to be guided by firmly-rooted principles if chaos was to be avoided.

On the negative side, it increased awareness of racial differences and stirred passions. The campaign for racial justice had both a negative and a positive side. Positively it affirmed the equality of all peoples regardless of race or colour while at the same time protesting against those traditions and institutions which debarred people on grounds of race, religion or ethnic origin.

The anti-traditionalism of pop culture led to a despising of traditional institutions and even, in extreme cases, to the rejection of professionalism and scholarship. An extreme example was the Cultural Revolution in Communist China which persecuted and degraded teachers, university lecturers and scholars, often parading them through the streets as an act of public humiliation.

In Britain there were not these extremes, but public attitudes towards the professions changed radically. Teachers were no longer held in high esteem, neither were the clergy or any of those who served the public.

Individualism

The worldwide liberation movement of the post-war era spilled over into pop culture, not only in politically-orientated protest movements but also in positive campaigns to alleviate suffering and to serve the world's poor and hungry.

The 'Freedom from Hunger' campaign of the 1960s, the Oxford Campaign for Famine Relief (which became Oxfam) and numerous others all reflected the growing concern of the new generation for freedom, equality and justice. These social values were part of the growing recognition of the worth of each individual and the sanctity of human life. In emphasising these values, pop culture reacted against the wanton sacrifice of life in two world wars. It was also a reaction against what was seen as the oppression the ruling classes exercised over the world's poor and powerless peoples.

This recognition of the worth of each individual had its down side. What began as the pursuit of justice rapidly became a demand for rights. It was rights, not privileges, that changed attitudes towards the Welfare State in Britain. Instead of enjoying the privilege of living in a society where the needs of each individual were cared for by the whole community, these benefits were soon taken for granted.

The younger generation knew nothing of the privations endured by former generations. Instead of thankfulness for the peace and security now enjoyed, the prevailing mood became a determination to obtain the maximum benefits available to each individual. Inner-city areas saw the rise of campaigns for community rights. 'Claimants Unions' sprang up in the 1970s to ensure that individuals were able to claim all their rights and entitlements from the State.

The anti-traditionalism of pop culture led to a despising of traditional values, social mores and institutions.

The campaigns for racial justice and justice for women soon produced minority group rights: feminist campaigns, the gay rights movement and the pro-abortion lobby with the campaign slogan 'A woman's right to choose'. These movements were fundamentally anti-social, in that they contributed towards the breakdown of traditional family life and the downgrading of marriage. They were driven by a destructive spirit in which the only thing that mattered was the philosophy of individualism, in which personal morality and personal relationships are largely determined by the rights, desires and demands of the individual.

The same determinants have played a creative role in the social values emerging from pop culture. They are essentially anti-social and dysfunctional rather than creative of a healthy society. Their end product is the dissolution of society. The underlying lesson is that ethical nihilism leads to social nihilism. Moral anarchy leads to social anarchy.

Personal Involvement

The post-war era of reconstruction that gave rise to pop culture was an age of activity. Pop culture reflected this with all the dynamism of youth. They wanted to get involved personally in the radical changes that were already beginning to move from theory to practical reality by the beginning of the 1960s. Pop culture encouraged young people to get involved in their community, to take to the streets and demonstrate, to take their protests to the town hall or to turn the student union debate into days of action for better grants and living conditions.

The negative anti-professionalism of pop culture also included a strong positive element of personal involvement in every kind of activity. It was the age of DIY. Do-it-yourself in home improvement resulted in an enormous industry of tools and provision for the amateur builder. DIY extended to every kind of activity, from making your own music to arranging your own house conveyancing. DIY in education gave rise to the Open University, while DIY in sport and entertainment resulted in a boom in a wide variety of sporting activity, from athletics and field sports to aerobics and keep fit, to climbing and hang-gliding.

Pop culture initiated what was essentially the day of the amateur. Personal involvement plus lots of help from commercial products enabled the amateur to produce results every bit as good as the professional.

Sensuousness

Pop culture rapidly swept away the old Victorian taboos on sex and the expression of emotions. It became a new age of freedom where the emphasis upon individual rights and personal involvement encouraged the exhibition rather than the suppression of the emotions. This was considered psychologically healthy.

The ‘Dr Spock’ generation of demand-fed babies and undisciplined children became the pop culture teenagers: the teeny-boppers who screamed wildly at their pop idols and lost themselves in waves of emotion at rock concerts and gigs. These activities paved the way for the drug-related rave parties of the 1990s.

Pop culture gave rise to a new age of sexual freedom aided by birth control and abortion. Sex education in schools followed the repeal of censorship in the entertainments industry, allowing explicit sexual scenes on TV, film and video, as well as in books and magazines.

As the moral mores of the nations fell apart, so the media's reporting of scandals, details of violence and explicit sex became more lurid, both stimulating and feeding the appetite for the sensuous. Inevitably, intimate media accounts of the lifestyles of pop stars encouraged young people to follow the activities of their idols and imitate their behaviour.

The lesson of post-war pop culture is that ethical nihilism leads to social nihilism. Moral anarchy leads to social anarchy.

Lawlessness

The radical change in the philosophy of education in the post-war era taught children not only to discover things for themselves, but also to question traditional values, leading to the questioning of authority, social norms and religious beliefs. The latter was aided and abetted by the popularisation of liberal theology through books such as Honest to God by John Robinson, the bishop who had defended the publication of Lady Chatterley's Lover, which broke new ground in explicitly sexual literature.

The old norms, moral precepts and social values, together with their foundational religious beliefs rooted in the Judeo-Christian faith, were rapidly crumbling. By the middle of the 1960s pop culture had become an unstoppable band-waggon rolling the nation into a social revolution, the end product of which only the exceptionally far-sighted could see.

The breakdown of moral absolutes left the field wide open for 'situation ethics' in which the rights and wrongs of every action for each individual would have to be sought within the prevailing situation and circumstances. This paved the way for increasing lawlessness, for the lowering of standards of professional conduct, and for radical changes in business ethics and the practices of corporate institutions. Thus the way was open for corruption in politics, industry and commerce leading inevitably to the increase of crime, drugs, family breakdown, child abuse, street violence and terrorism.

Pop culture was a child of revolt. It was born out of a spirit of rebellion, essentially a destructive rather than a creative spirit. Its anti-traditionalism was essentially the rejection of morality, of fundamental belief and of law. It was DIY in the rules of behaviour with a self-centred individualism that was essentially destructive of community. It was social anarchy and the inevitable result of anarchy is the destruction of society.

Power

The 20^th Century ushered in an age of powerlessness. Two world wars in the first half of the century swept millions of men and women from many nations into the horror of modern armed conflict. They had no option but to fight and even those who remained at home were mercilessly bombed in cities throughout Europe, powerless to defend themselves.

The post-war period of reconstruction saw thousands of inner-city communities destroyed as their homes were bulldozed and replaced by tower blocks. Others saw their homes destroyed to make way for motorways which they were powerless to resist.

As radical social changes were enforced by law, foundational social values began to crumble, moral principles were neglected, marriage breakdown increased, the stability of family life was undermined, crime rates soared and a general sense of powerlessness to withstand the onslaught of the forces of social change became widespread. The genie was out of the bottle and no-one had the power to put it back.

Pop culture was a child of revolt. It was born out of a spirit of rebellion, essentially a destructive rather than a creative spirit.

The economic boom years gave way to recession. Powerful commercial enterprises collapsed, bankruptcies increased, mortgage lenders foreclosed on the homes of defaulting house owners. The Englishman's castle was built on sand. People were powerless even to defend their homes.

The sense of powerlessness was increased by Europeanisation. Europe was swallowing up the little island which had fiercely maintained its freedom and independence against all invaders for a thousand years. Norman Tebbit summed it up when he said that the day would come when the 'Chancellor's budget speech would be faxed from Frankfurt'. The politicians, the Government, the Cabinet and the Prime Minister all began to share the sense of powerlessness to withstand the forces of change which were sweeping across the nation. Even the Queen had her 'annus horribilis', being powerless to defend her family from the adulterous and rebellious spirits of the age.

The Charismatic Movement

In the midst of these traumatic social changes and upheaval, a new phenomenon appeared within the Church: the charismatic movement. It did not arise in the immediate post-World War II period - in fact, it had no clear beginnings. There was no mighty outpouring of the Spirit of God as on the Day of Pentecost, no fresh outpouring of the Holy Spirit as at the beginning of the Pentecostal movement at Azusa Street in 1906; there was no great revival, no clear move of God resulting in the conversion of multitudes of unbelievers.

Most charismatic leaders today trace the beginnings of the movement to the middle or late 1960s. But the first really recognisable signs of a movement did not occur until the early 1970s, when home-based fellowships or 'house churches' began to proliferate.

Whatever date we assign to the beginnings of the charismatic movement, it has to be acknowledged that pop culture was already a firmly established part of the social scene. The destructive effects of the spirit of rebellion could clearly be seen, biblical belief was under attack, traditional morality was in rapid decline, so too was church attendance. The Church, especially in inner-city areas, was in the full flight of retreat with a high closure rate of redundant church buildings, especially in areas of immigrant settlement.

It was against the background of spiritual atrophy and moribund institutionalism in the mainline churches that the charismatic movement emerged. It was born out of the womb of frustration with the status quo, rather than through a notable move of the Spirit of God.

A Genuine Move of God?

The charismatic movement came to birth at a time when the spirit of moral and social rebellion was triumphing in the battle with traditionalism in the secular world. This was the time when the most socially destructive Acts of Parliament were put on the Statute Book. It was a time when it seemed as though the whole nation was intent upon overturning past tradition and rejecting the social values and moral precepts of their forefathers. This was the spirit of the age in which the charismatic movement emerged and there is good evidence for the contention that many of the social characteristics of that period were birthed into it, the significance of which we are only now beginning to see.

We may go farther and ask the question, 'Was the charismatic movement a move of God? Was it actually initiated by the Lord Jesus, the Head of the Church?' It is not easy to give an unequivocal affirmative to that question due to its lack of a clear beginning and the fact that it was not rooted in the conviction of sin, repentance and revival.

The charismatic movement was born out of the womb of frustration with the status quo, rather than through a notable move of the Spirit of God.

There was not even a great wave of renewal sweeping through the Church or a 'holiness' movement characterised by self-denial, humility and self-sacrificial suffering with the major emphasis upon the cross. These are the characteristics of the present-day Church in China which has arisen out of the flames of persecution and martyrdom of the saints. In China there was no spectacular outpouring of the Spirit in any one place to mark the beginning of the period of great spiritual awakening now sweeping through that nation, but there were all the marks of authentic New Testament spirituality, including a willingness to die for the faith.

The charismatic movement, by contrast, had none of these marks and it is for this reason that we may fairly ask whether it was the creation of God or man. In fact, it bore many of the social characteristics of the Western nations in which it arose. It developed in an environment of easy affluence and it offered a form of spirituality which appealed strongly to the rising new middle classes seeking quick self-advancement and status in the new post-war social order.

Before offering an answer to the question of origins, we will look at the characteristics of the charismatic movement under the same headings as we used when looking at pop culture.

Next week: The charismatic movement as a child of pop culture.

First published in 1995, as part of chapter 2 of ‘Blessing the Church?’ (Eagle Publishing, pp10-39). Revised November 2017.

A child of the age: we continue our new series on the origins of the charismatic movement.

“Ephraim mixes with the nations...Foreigners sap his strength, but he does not realise it. His hair is sprinkled with grey, but he does not notice”. (Hosea 7:8-9)

Since the days of the Industrial Revolution, Britain has been a class-dominated society, the product of twin forces of industrialisation and urbanisation, which broke the power of the landowners and the old social order of feudalism. This was replaced by the new social classes of entrepreneurs, industrialists, skilled craftsmen and unskilled workers.

The latter formed a new class of landless peasants at the mercy of the owners of industry, who not only controlled the means of production but also owned the houses which their workers rented from them. Thus, from the earliest days of industrialisation, the British working classes saw themselves as the powerless ones who had to fight for survival against their economic oppressors. The seeds were sown of the class warfare which bedevilled British industry for 200 years, the legacy of which is still with us today.

Political Upheaval: The People vs the Privileged

The beginning of the 20^th Century saw the Labour movement beginning to become an organised political force, but it took two world wars in the first half of the century to break the social mould. The Atlee Government of 1945 was the first Socialist administration to obtain real power in Britain. Their legislative programme of social reform and reconstruction was to have far-reaching consequences which changed the face of Britain for the rest of the century.

The creation of the Welfare State with its boasted objective of caring for each individual from the cradle to the grave was designed to eliminate poverty and ensure justice for all. This objective was fully in line with the prevailing mood throughout the world which saw the post-war generation striving for freedom, justice, self-determination, equality and prosperity for all.

The post-war generation strove for freedom, justice, self-determination, equality and prosperity for all.

In industrial societies this was expressed in various forms of socialism, while in non-industrial societies it was anti-colonialism and anti-imperialism. Marxism in various forms spread right across the world as an expression of the aspirations of the poor and oppressed. This was in harmony with the rise of black consciousness in societies dominated by whites and the rise of nationalism in countries dominated by foreign nationals or alien ethnic groups.

In retrospect, the 20^th Century may be seen as a period of ‘the people versus the privileged’; a revolution of the oppressed against rulers and oppressors; a struggle for justice and freedom for all.

By the middle of the century this movement reached a peak of political consciousness as it combined with the post-World War II period of reconstruction and the anti-war/pro-peace movement. During the 1950s and early 1960s the political expression of these aspirations reached its height with the achievement of independence in most of the former European colonial territories. In Asia, India, the Middle East, Africa and South America the face of the world changed; the global map had to be redrawn.

Social Change: The Birth of Pop Culture

During this same period a new movement was birthed, particularly in the USA and Europe: an ideological and social movement destined to have as far-reaching effects as its political counterpart. It was what sociologists have termed 'pop culture'; a spontaneous, youth-dominated, ideological movement expressing the hopes and aspirations of the post-war-generation in the rich industrial nations of the West.

The prevailing economic and social conditions in these nations were ripe for just such an ideological movement. The post-war reconstruction period required massive building programmes of houses, offices, industrial plants and roads. The demand for labour was high which, in Britain, brought immigration from former colonies. But, even more significantly, it increased the wages of working people and opened up lifestyles beyond the imagination of former generations.

In Britain, for the first time in history, young people were able to command high wages. Even school leavers were able to go straight into unskilled work with large pay packets at the end of the week. Almost overnight a new consumer class was born with high purchasing power and minimal social responsibilities. These were young single people with no families to support, no mortgages, but with money in their pockets.

‘Pop culture’ developed as a youth-dominated ideological movement expressing the aspirations and hopes of the post-war generation in the West.

A free enterprise economy quickly adjusted to produce goods satisfying to this new consumer group. The market became youth-dominated, with clothing fashions, records, hi-fi equipment, motorbikes, youth festivals, fast-food joints and a wide variety of material goods and activities designed to meet the desires and fulfil the demands of rapidly changing pop fashions.

Public awareness of the birth of this new ideological movement dawned as a rude awakening. It came in 1956 with the arrival in Britain of an American film, Rock Around the Clock, featuring Bill Haley and a new strain of music known as 'rock'n'roll'. The film was screened in a cinema at the Elephant and Castle, in south-east London. The largely teenage audience ripped up the seats and rocked in the aisles which sent shock waves through the nation. It was soon followed by a multitude of home-grown youth musicians, skiffle groups, guitarists and rock bands.

The age of DIY had arrived. Young people did not simply want to be passive audiences, they wanted to do it themselves, either by being performers or at least joining actively in the physical activity of dancing, jiving, rocking and rolling, dressing up as Teddy boys or Mods and Rockers, driving in their motorcycle gangs and generally terrorising the older generation. The latter hailed the birth of pop culture with a dread of the future, believing the whole world to have gone mad.

Educational Change

An important agent in creating the social conditions which gave rise to pop culture was the education system which, during this period, experienced radical and far-reaching changes generated by a new educational philosophy. A new breed of teachers was produced in the post-war period, many of them with Marxist leanings, or at least strong socialist principles.

They rejected the 'chalk and talk' Victorian methods of teaching which relied heavily on learning by rote. The new philosophy centred upon the 'discovery method' of education. Instead of an active teacher instructing a passive class of pupils, children were encouraged to discover facts for themselves.

This meant that they no longer sat still and were punished for speaking; they were encouraged to work in groups, to carry out little research projects in the library, the countryside or the city streets. Physical punishment was seen as degrading and offensive to the rights of children. This in turn had its effect upon family life and discipline in the home, as well as social behaviour on the football terraces and in the streets.

A new breed of teachers was produced in the post-war period, many of them with Marxist leanings, or at least strong socialist principles.

Legislative Change

The ideological revolution which spawned pop culture was aided, strengthened and, in many ways, made socially effective, by legislation. Many far-reaching social reforms were effected in a 20-year period following World War II.

It may be questioned whether they were responsible for the social revolution which has taken place in Britain in the second half of the 20^th Century or whether they simply reflected changing social values. It is probably a chicken-and-egg situation in which both are true, as the one influenced the other.

The first major ideological reform was the repeal of the Witchcraft Act in 1951 followed by the Obscene Publications Act (1959). These were followed in the 1960s by a string of measures effecting far-reaching social reform, dealing with race relations, capital punishment, homosexual acts, abortion and the discarding of censorship in publications and public entertainments.
All these measures reflected the desire for freedom of choice and a society reputedly coming of age where people were able to make their own assessment of right and wrong, the good and the harmful.

Pop culture developed into a powerful social movement which created a society based upon 'situation ethics' rather than moral absolutes. In essence, it was both hedonistic and individualistic. It was a society leaving behind the restrictions of the past and moving into new eras of individual freedom. Society was sailing into uncharted waters, driven by the strong winds of moral anarchy. Such a philosophy could only end in social anarchy - a society in which everyone does that which is right in their own eyes.

Coming up: Over the next three weeks we will look at characteristics of pop culture and how these infiltrated and shaped the Church.

Originally published in 1995. Revised Oct/Nov 2017.

Catharine Pakington reviews ‘The New Civic Religion’ by Patrick Sookhdeo (2016, Isaac Publishing)

In the aftermath of the election I would recommend this book as a valuable aid to evaluating the agendas and culture of our main political parties.

In a recent Prophecy Today editorial, Clifford Hill highlighted how humanist beliefs are driving party policies and defining so-called ‘British values’. In this book, author and speaker Patrick Sookhdeo uses straightforward, clear language to introduce humanism as the religion of our age, particularly in the USA and UK.

Historical Context

He outlines historical influences from ancient philosophies through to the scientific and social changes of the Renaissance, the Enlightenment and the ‘Long 19th Century’ (1789-1914), all of which have culminated in a rejection of traditional Christianity.

The book is structured into 12 chapters, which take the reader through from the origins and content of humanism towards a Christian response. Bible studies and discussion questions on each chapter are provided, for individual or group use.

First, the core beliefs of humanists are presented along with their agenda to replace Christian morality. It is interesting to read the arguments for recognising humanism as a religion – something humanists themselves deny, since they oppose the teaching of religion in schools! How many Christians are aware of Tolerance, Equality, Reversal of Norms and then Aggressive Action as stages in a deliberate campaign to introduce humanistic values to education, the media, popular culture, government and law?

Sookhdeo uses straightforward, clear language to introduce humanism as the religion of our age.

The impact on education is particularly widespread. A time-line of the development of ‘hate speech’ law in the UK illustrates the growth of humanist influence up to now, and shows how biblical norms have been overturned.

Religion vs Science?

Turning to the relationship between Christianity and science, Sookhdeo demonstrates that though humanists would like to present faith and science as being incompatible, Christianity itself counters this with the Church’s history of promoting science. He highlights that far more scientists in the USA consider themselves to be Christian than humanist, atheist or agnostic. This is because Christians are encouraged to reason and think logically, whilst also being brought into the spiritual realm by a personal relationship with the triune God.

However, it is worth noting that in a related chapter on origins, there are times when the author does not uphold the authority of Scripture as consistently as on other issues.

Upholding Christian Identity

As the author compares humanist and Christian beliefs about God, Jesus and the Bible, we are challenged to review our own beliefs and then consider the identity and role of the Church in today’s culture.

A declaration of faith is suggested with the simplicity of the Jewish shema contrasted with historical creeds. All believers are urged to challenge today’s culture, just as the early Church stood against the Roman Empire (whose society shared many characteristics with our own).

Stirred to Respond

We are not left with a sense of helplessness after being presented with the extent of humanist influence today but are stirred to respond in our own areas of influence. If all of life is seen as worship, we can further the Kingdom of God wherever we are.

We are challenged to review our own beliefs and consider the role of the Church in today’s culture.

In addition to the helpful Bible study notes for each chapter, chapter 14 provides a useful summary of teaching about the authority of the Bible. As Christian creeds are quoted earlier in the book, two are given here in full and there is also a glossary, a list of references and sources including some key humanist documents.

Altogether this is a book that can be read quickly to introduce people to the extent of the influence of humanism in Britain (and possible responses to it), or it can be used as a more in-depth handbook for study, prayer and discussion. It is well worth reading as a primer, before other books that deal with related issues in greater depth, such as ‘What are They Teaching the Children?’ (ed. Lynda Rose), reviewed here.

‘The New Civic Religion: Humanism and the Future of Christianity’ (208 pages, paperback) is available from the Barnabas Fund for £10.05 (inc. P&P).
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Patrick Sookhdeo has doctorates from London University’s School of Oriental and African Studies, Western Seminary and Nashotah House Episcopal Seminary. He is an author, lecturer and consultant.

The Church in Britain is being doubly deceived.

Why did God allow the bomber to kill innocent children and adults in the Manchester Arena? Why did a young man born and raised in Manchester carry out such a terrible atrocity in the name of Allah, the god of Islam? These are the questions that are being asked in the wake of the violence caused by Salman Abedi.

The answer is set out clearly in the Bible. It is in Habakkuk. The Prophet Habakkuk was a contemporary of Jeremiah. They both saw the decadence, idolatry and treachery of the nation, which had turned its back upon God and the good teaching he had given for the health and security of his people.

Habakkuk asked what God was going to do about it and God’s reply was “I am raising up the Babylonians” (Hab 1:6). Habakkuk was horrified! He protested, for the Babylonians were cruel and had no respect for human life.

And so it was that God revealed his short-term strategy of sending Judah into exile, whilst working towards his long-term purpose when “the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the Lord as the waters cover the sea” (Hab 2:14). It’s all there in the amazing little book of Habakkuk that has incredible significance for our lifetime.

This purpose could only be fulfilled through the coming of Messiah Jesus, who would not only be a light for the Gentiles, fulfilling God’s promise to send his salvation to all nations, but actually present “a new and living way” (Heb 10:20) – a way of peace and love, replacing the violence of humanity.

Why did God allow the Manchester bombing? The answer is set out in Habakkuk.

The Church’s God-Given Task

This is the amazing God-given task of the Church today, at what increasingly appears to be an incredibly significant time in world history. It feels as though we stand on the cusp of either descending into an indescribable cauldron of terrorism, violence and destruction, culminating in all-out warfare between Islam and the West; or, an amazing worldwide spiritual revival that will transform the history of the world.

God is using Muslim immigration into Europe and the West to wake up the Church to its responsibility to present the truth to the nations. We are like the church in Sardis that had a reputation for being alive, but was dead to the truth. They were perfectly content to jog along with pagan society; but the word of the Lord was “Wake up! Strengthen what remains and is about to die” (Rev 3:2).

Today God’s urgent call to his Church in the West is: Wake up! Wake up before it is too late!

We have the most astounding good news to present to the world! The Gospel Jesus has given us comes with the power to deliver it and to see the signs and wonders of God’s presence. But there is a great veil of deception over the Western Church that prevents us from perceiving the truth. It is the same veil of deception that covered the religious leaders in Jesus’ day; “Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not understand” (Matt 13:13). This is the work of the father of lies who seeks to impede the work of the Lord by blinding the eyes and confusing the understanding of the servants of God.

Deception About Islam

The two great areas of deception are Islam and the decadence of the West.

I find it astonishing that so many people in Britain – Christians included - have been hoodwinked by the palpable lie that Islam is a religion of peace. Andy Burnham, the Mayor of Manchester, actually said that the bomber had nothing to do with Islam. Such statements show either unforgivable ignorance in a political leader or culpable lying.

It is astonishing that so many in Britain – Christians included - have been hoodwinked by the lie that Islam is a religion of peace.

Manchester Central Mosque. See Photo Credits.The Qur’an instructs the followers of Allah to “Kill the polytheists [Jews and Christians] wherever you find them and capture them and besiege them and lie in wait for them at every place of ambush” (Qur’an 9:5). This was the policy pursued by Mohammed and is now followed by those we call ‘extremists’, including the fighters of so-called Islamic State.

Of course, it is true that the vast majority of Muslims are ordinary people who want to get on with their lives and live at peace with others. But a large part of the trouble is that they do not integrate – they live in separate communities – they learn the Qur’an in Arabic and we do not know what is taught in their mosques, all of which creates fear and suspicion. They are specifically told not to integrate or to make friends with non-Muslims:

O you who believe! take not the Jews and the Christians for your friends and protectors: They are but friends and protectors to each other. And he amongst you that turns to them [for friendship] is of them. Verily Allah does not guide such people. (Qur’an, Sura 5:51, emphasis added)

The central teaching of the Qur’an is that Islam is at war with the rest of the world and all Muslims are required to take part in this war until the nations have been subdued and Islam rules the world.

Ayatollah Khomeini a leading scholar of Islam said “The purest joy in Islam is to kill and be killed for Allah”. He said, “If you are slain, you will go to Paradise. Even if you do the slaying, you will go to Paradise”.¹

If Christian leaders make no attempt to discuss this teaching with Islamic scholars, young men will continue to become radicalised and terrorist atrocities will increase in the Western nations. A reign of terror will eventually lead to all-out war and no doubt someone will risk a first strike with their nuclear warheads. The end result will be catastrophic.

But it need not be like this!

God is urgently calling upon his Church in the West to wake up, both to the reality of the threat to world peace and to the incredible opportunity being presented to believers to bring the Gospel to a world that is hungry for truth and fearful for the future.

God is urgently calling upon his Church in the West to wake up - to the threat to world peace and to the incredible opportunity now presented to believers.

Deception About Western Society

However, the Church has a veil of deception drawn not only over its perception of Islam, but also over its own attitude to Western society.

Ariana Grande. See Photo Credits.Why did the bomber specifically target the Manchester Arena where Ariana Grande was performing? You have only to look at her song lyrics to see the answer to this question. On that fateful night in Manchester she sang “Tonight I’m making deals with the devil…And I know it’s gonna get me in trouble…”

As her website and song lyrics make abundantly clear, Grande propagates what has been termed ‘raunch culture’,² designed to liberate young girls from all sexual inhibitions. All this is highly offensive to Muslims - and so it should be also to Christians! Though Christians do not react with acts of violence, we should be making it clear to Muslims that we deplore the sexualisation of our children.

This is where our lack of communication with Islamic leaders is utter folly. They think that decadent, immoral Western culture is approved by the Christian Church – and even flows from Christianity – not least because we allow our children to go to concerts like the one in the Manchester Arena, the benefit show scheduled to take place at Old Trafford on Sunday, and the one that took place in the Bataclan Concert Hall in Paris last year.

Of course, these concerts glorifying sexual decadence and satanic attitudes in no way justify the indescribable violence of the Muslim bombers, but they justify the teaching given in hundreds of mosques in Europe where imams try to protect their young people from corruption by Western society by instilling hatred of the West. But sadly this leads unstable young Muslim men to think they are earning a place in paradise by donning a suicide vest.

The answer to this mess does not lie in the hands of politicians, who simply strengthen the intelligence services and put more armed police on the streets. The answer lies squarely in the hands of the Church!

The answer to this mess does not lie in the hands of politicians, but in the hands of the Church!

The Church has to be much more forthright in condemning the decadence of Western society! For too long we have allowed hyper-liberal secular humanists to dominate social policy and direct social change. Muslims are perfectly justified in reacting against Western society as demonic - but they are also justified in thinking (however mistakenly) that it is condoned by Christians.

God’s Instrument of Judgment

This is why God has allowed vast numbers of Muslims to come into Britain, the EU nations and the USA. They are like the Babylonians sent to bring judgment upon Judah.

Make no mistake: God will allow Islam to be his instrument of judgment upon the West, unless the Church wakes up and recognises how far we have strayed from the truth of the word of the Lord - and unless we repent and use all the power of the Holy Spirit and the spiritual gifts that have been given to us to evangelise the world.

It is the Gospel of Jesus that has the only answer powerful enough to transform the virulent virus of violence that is spreading across the world.

The Church has to move from trying to live alongside Muslims in peace to actively evangelising them and practically showing them the way of love. The only way into the Kingdom is through faith, not through force. The contrast between the Gospel and the teachings of Muhammad in the Qur’an could not be greater.

The Qur’an says: “Allah does not love sinners” (Qur’an 2:190) - and this is repeated 24 times for emphasis. Contrast this with the teaching of Jesus: “For God so loved the world that he gave his One and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him” (John 3:16).

God will allow Islam to be his instrument of judgment upon the West, unless the Church wakes up to how far we have strayed from the word of the Lord.

Live the Faith We Proclaim

The word of the Lord to his Church is not only to church leaders but to every believer: it is a call to live the faith that we proclaim - to take every opportunity to share our faith with others.

The light and love and truth of Jesus must shine out through our lives and be such an attractive alternative to Islamic teachings of hatred, and to the decadence and moral corruption of Western ‘raunch culture’, that people will embrace the truth with overwhelming relief and joy – as the man who discovered the Pearl of great Price.

This is the word of the Lord to this generation!

References

1 Baar, M, 1980. The Unholy War – Oil, Islam, and Armageddon, Henry E Walter Ltd, Worthing, p78.

2 This term was coined by author Ariel Levy, and has been used by Dr Jenny Taylor to describe Grande’s style and influence – see here.

Ian Farley reviews ‘Leaven: The Hidden Power of Culture in the Church’ by David Brown (2016, RoperPenberthy).

Retired naval captain David Brown has written an alternative book to the many in the market which tell the Church, both members and ministers, what new things they ought to be doing to see their congregations grow. Of these kinds of books there is no end.

This book, however, approaches affairs from the other direction, taking the New Testament injunction to ‘throw out the old leaven’ seriously. Indeed, not to do so will leave whatever else you might do subject to corruption from the bad stuff still within.

Church in Distress

This is not a book which goes on to talk about our individual failings, as might be expected: ‘If only I were a better Christian then the Church would be a better Church’. Brown moves in bigger (and one might say, murkier) waters, outlining what he calls the “institutional distress” of the Church. He argues that the Church has allowed the culture of the world to infiltrate herself.

Particularly, he identifies four major cultural intruders: controlling power, the enchantment of historic custom, individualism and dogmatism. He outlines these in some detail in the first part of the book and argues that they all destroy relationships and are all variants of lovelessness.

The Church has allowed the culture of the world to infiltrate herself.

By contrast, of course, Jesus built the Kingdom with a focus on relationships and was personally sustained by his close intimacy with his Father, which led in his own life to an attentive, habitual discipleship.

Anglican Perspective

Brown then goes on to suggest what should be thrown out. Here readers need to be aware that, although in the advertising blurb it says this book is for all churches, Brown is an Anglican (and 12 years a lay assistant to a Bishop) and this immediately flavours his response.

Reader responses to this part of the book will, likewise, be shaped by their own denominational preference (for example, some nonconformists will no doubt rejoice over his castigation of the current role of bishops).

Most of Brown’s suggestions, however, are rightly transferable across denominations and, if heeded, would revolutionise the Church. In the example above, for instance, even churches which don't have bishops should pay careful attention to what Brown argues as he identifies what proper, biblical ministry roles and pastoral care should look like, regardless of church structure.

Most of Brown’s suggestions are transferable across denominations and, if heeded, would revolutionise the Church.

Removing the Vestiges of Pomp

The author makes deft judgments which should cause the reader to shout "hurrah, hurrah", especially in his analysis that old temple symbolism must be replaced by the teaching of the New Testament. This would necessitate the removal of all vestiges of pomp in any church and the notion of clerical Eucharistic presidency.

There are endless other suggestions that make this book a fascinating read for any Christian concerned about the cultural health of the Church. The depressing thing is that those who are in power will probably not be readers. This is depressing because, as Brown himself argues, "there is little point in adjusting my car's clutch whilst ignoring its corroded chassis. The time for ecclesiastical spanner work has passed." (p27).

Leaven (254pp) is available from the publisher for £12.99.

With new terror attacks happening almost daily across Europe, Western leaders still refuse to face the truth about Islam.

The sickening murder of a defenceless elderly priest in Rouen marks a new low point in Islam's relationships with the West. But none of the Western leaders are willing to face up to the reality of what is happening in Europe.

Even the Pope says that this attack is nothing to do with religion!¹ That is the standard politically correct statement that is made every time there is an atrocity carried out by Muslims in the name of their god.

Ever since the end of the Second World War the policy in the West has been to seek appeasement with the oil-rich Arab nations of the Middle East. The Islamic Revolution in 1979 that installed Ayatollah Khomeini as supreme ruler of Iran was a great shock to the West as Iran had been its main supporter under the rule of the de-posed Shar.

From that time Western leaders turned their attention to promoting the Saudis as the leading friend of the West and there has been a continuous effort in the Western media to paint Saudi Arabia in a favourable light despite numerous reports of brutality, persecution of minorities and strict enforcement of the ban on women driving cars or leaving home without a male escort.

Covering Up the Facts

Even the most atrocious acts of terrorism, such as the destruction of the twin towers in New York in 2001 and the bombing of the London Underground 2005, were deliberately downplayed in terms of their links to Islam. They were portrayed as the acts of 'extremists' who were not representative of mainstream Muslims and every effort was made by the media to stress that Islam is a religion of peace. This is still the politically correct policy.

The most atrocious acts of terrorism in recent years have been deliberately downplayed in terms of their links to Islam.

According to Brietbart,² last week the BBC appeared to go to extraordinary lengths to attempt to cover up the Muslim identity of the Munich killer. At 3pm on Saturday 23 July BBC reported the killer as Ali Sonboly, but within one hour this was changed to David Sonboly. In the 6pm news he was again referred to as David Sonboly although in the same bulletin the BBC's correspondent in Germany referred to him as David Ali Sonboly. Did the BBC make a high level decision to hide the reference to 'Ali', although it admitted that the teenager had dual German/Iranian citizenship?

Religion of Peace?Pope Francis, who has denied the religious nature of recent terrorist attacks.

The 'religion of peace' facade has been wearing somewhat thin in face of the recent wave of terrorist activities in Europe, but the latest pronouncement by the Pope shows that Western leaders are still not prepared to discuss the religious beliefs of those who commit atrocities. Whilst attack after attack is being carried out with cries of 'Allahu Akbar' ('god is great'), nobody is willing to ask questions about this god, whose greatness apparently demands or justifies the murder of innocent people.

What Westerners do not realise is that Islam not only condones violence but actually commands it against 'infidels', especially Jews and Christians. The Qur'an says

Let not the unbelievers think that they will ever get away. They have not the power so to do. Muster against them all the men and weaponry at your command, so that you may strike terror into the enemy of Allah and your enemy, and others besides them who are unknown to you but known to Allah. All that you give in the cause of Allah shall be repaid to you. (8:59)

According to thereligionofpeace.com there are 109 verses in the Qur'an that call upon Muslims to wage war against unbelievers. They say "some are quite graphic, with commands to chop off heads and fingers and kill infidels wherever they may be hiding." They also say that "there are very few verses of tolerance and peace to balance out the many that call for non-believers to be fought and subdued until they either accept humiliation, convert to Islam or are killed."

Western leaders are still not prepared to discuss the religious beliefs and agendas of those who commit the atrocities.

The Islamic Agenda

In order to understand what is going on today you have to examine the history of Islam and the life of its founder, Muhammad. Islam's supreme purpose is world domination. The propagation of Islam by force has been its policy right from the beginning.

Muhammad personally led many expeditions and wars plundering communities and slaughtering defenceless civilians. He personally set the example of violent conquest and forcible conversion that has been followed down the centuries.

Muhammad's dying wish in 632 AD was to clear the whole of Arabia of Christians and Jews – a policy of aggression that was immediately carried out by Abu Bakr, Muhammad's father-in-law, who became the first caliph of the Islamic state. Abu Bakr died in 634 and was succeeded by Caliph Omar, who was murdered in 644 and succeeded by Caliph Othman, who was murdered in 656 and succeeded by Caliph Ali, who was assassinated in 661.

All of these early caliphs led battles with the objective of expanding the Islamic state and forcing people to submit to Islam (the word Islam in Arabic means 'submission'), a policy which continued for centuries. Notable dates (some approximate) in the early years of Islam include:

• AD 647 conquest of the island of Cyprus
• AD 659 conquest of Egypt
• AD 700 military campaigns in North Africa
• AD 711 invasion of Gibraltar and conquest of Spain
• AD 716 invasion of Constantinople
• AD 732 Battle of Tours in France
• AD 777 Battle of Saragossa in Spain.

It does seem extraordinary that Western leaders can be so extraordinarily blind to the intentions of Islam. Our European forefathers who succeeded in stopping the advance of the Ottoman army at Vienna in 1683 were certainly under no such illusions. Could it be that this blindness is in fact a deliberate attempt by the secular humanist spirit driving modern Europe to look favourably upon Islam because of its hostility to the centuries of Judeo-Christian heritage that is so blatantly scorned by the European Union?

Is our blindness to the intentions of Islam connected to the secular humanist spirit at work across Europe?

If this indeed is the motive, the secular humanists are virtually committing social suicide because if Islam does become a majority movement in Europe, they will be the first to suffer along with LGBT communities. It is, of course, quite possible that Muslims will become the majority in Europe, given their extraordinary high birth rate and the number of young Muslims of childbearing age who have entered Europe as refugees or migrants.

Maybe Christians should accept responsibility for the confused spiritual state of Europe today. Clearly we have not been faithful to the Great Commission of Jesus to make disciples of all nations. Neither have we clearly demonstrated the love of God in our lives and in our teaching. If we had done, there could be no confusion between the God of the Bible and the Allah of the Qur'an. The greatest need today is to teach the truth of the Gospel. This is the only way to save Europe from catastrophe.

What is Ahead?

What does the future hold? A personal friend of mine whose ministry I value is Bill Wagner, who has lived and worked in Muslim countries for many years. Just before the invasion of Iraq he wrote perceptively:

Islam will continue to grow and will become more brutal in its attempts to conquer the world. There will be a rise of terrorism in all parts of the non-Muslim world since they have discovered how effective this can be. The nations of the world will be subject to suicide bombings. A number of wars such as those against Iraq and Afghanistan will take place but will be ineffective since Islam has learned to fight not from a position of military strength but from the shadowy back alleys of urban societies. Christians especially will be marked for death and persecution, although Islam will never completely take over the world.³

Many Christians believe that we have entered the days which Jesus foresaw when he warned his disciples about being deceived. He said, "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom...Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands firm to the end will be saved" (Matt 24:7-12).

It certainly looks as though a time of persecution lies ahead for Christians, but it is during times of persecution in the past that the Church has always grown. Maybe it is God's intention to allow the Church to go through a period of purging in the run-up to the second coming of our Lord.

References

1 E.g. Daley, K. Pope Says Terrorism Is 'Not A Religious War'. The Daily Caller, 28 July 2016.

2 Kassam, R. BBC 'Fixes' Munich Killer Article Following Breitbart Expose Of Muslim Name Cover Up. Breitbart, 23 July 2016.

3 Wagner, W, 2004. How Islam Plans to Change the World. Kregel Publications, Michigan, p216.