From Christianity Today online.
A fascinating interview with Guinness (Os, not the beer) on his perceptions of the United States and its future. He is spot-on for the most part, especially in his arguments about freedom and the fact that he uses historical analysis and awareness to drive his conclusions.
What role can churches play in sustaining freedom and this American experiment, and not become merely instruments of the government or culture?
Which, of course, we must not become. Back in the 1830s, Tocqueville said religion is the first of the American institutions. At the same time, he said pastors were not involved in politics. They taught the Word, and their people were the salt and the light in society. The heavy politicization of the pulpit in the last 30 years is actually a sign of weakness of the church, not a sign of strength. In other words, we need a revival in the church first, including preaching. We need churches attending to what it is to be the church of Christ, and following the way of Christ, which will include notions like calling. And if that’s healthy, then Christians will be the salt and light in society.
Anything else you want to say to clarify what you’re driving at in the book?
It’s not in the book, but I have a daily passionate sense that we are rather like Augustine in a transition period. He had the privilege and weighty responsibility to live at the end of 800 years of Roman dominance; he gave an analysis and a vision of the church that was a bridge into the Dark Ages. So we’re seeing the division and decline of the West. We’re seeing the relative or maybe absolute decline of American power. And we’re seeing the deep captivity of the church in the Western world. So we’re in an extraordinary moment, and we have to be so faithful in our analysis and faithful in our vision. We may see a revival or a new Dark Ages, or a muddling through somewhere in between. I hope it will be said that our generation was as faithful in this grand transitional moment as Augustine was in his.