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.