Cedric Wilson, Contributor
At the beginning of the 20th century, many social thinkers believed that religion was on its deathbed. The capacity of science to unlock the mysteries of the universe would banish, once and for all, the irrational fear that fuels the uncritical acceptance of the supernatural.
The triumph of technology over the natural world would push poverty from the realms of human experience, making it unnecessary for anyone to yearn for a heaven that is not on Earth. Indeed, the leading social thinkers of that generation thought it would only be a matter of time before it would be clear to all that the soul expires when the body dies and that there is nothing miraculous about 'miracles'. But time has proved them wrong.
In 1900, an estimated 67 per cent of the world's population claimed allegiance to the world's four foremost religions - Christi-anity, Islam, Buddhism and Hinduism. In 2005, it had grown to 73 per cent. Christianity, in particular, has shown itself to be remarkably adaptable to changing times.
Undoubtedly, this adaptability is consistent with what the Apostle Paul did. Paul went to great lengths to persuade the leaders of the early church that it was narrow, if not xenophobic, to insist that Gentiles take on Jewish cultural practices to be accepted as believers. Circumcision and the strict observance of the Sabbath were secondary to the believer's relationship with God. This was the concession that early Christians made that rescued it from becoming a provincial Jewish sect rather than a powerful global force. Unashamedly, Paul declared: "I have become all things to all men so that by all possible means I might save some."
Christmas celebrations
Perhaps nothing demonstrates Christianity's willingness to adapt better than the Christmas celebrations. Very few would argue vehemently that Jesus was born on December 25.
According to Christian tradition, angels appeared to shepherds watching their flock on the day of Jesus' birth.
After all, December sits in the middle of winter and no shepherd would watch his 'flock by night' at that time of the year. In that context, some Bible scholars have suggested that it seemed to have occurred in September.
Historically, December celebrations were deeply entrenched in the Roman Empire long before it was baptised as Christmas. Therefore, it would be no exaggeration to say it was hijacked by Christians.
In the Roman Empire, December 25 was celebrated as the birthday of Saturn, the god of agriculture. The Romans themselves borrowed the tradition from the Babylonians who, long before the birth of Jesus, recognised it as the birthday of the Persian god, Mithras. These celebrations were wild parties inconsistent with the morality that Paul expounded in his epistles to the church.
In fact, there is evidence that some early leaders of the Church condemned it. Yet, somewhere in the fourth century, leaders of the Church saw the odds stacked against them in their effort to convince people to abandon a practice that was deeply engrained in the culture. To make religion more palatable, December 25 was declared the official birthday of Christ. It was a stroke of genius. If you cannot beat them from the outside, then join them.
Defeat is most complete when it is won from the inside. And that they did. But the price of achieving victory from the inside is that the conqueror inevitably takes on the attributes of the conquered; the hunter becomes the hunted; and sometimes, the vanquished are indistinguishable from the vanquished.
Church turns a blind eye
Today, who now remembers Saturn? Who has any recollection of a god called Mithras? In a sense, the Church had turned a blind eye to the debauchery and the excesses associated with festivity in order to conquer it for God. The celebration is now called 'Christmas' in honour of its hero, Jesus. But make no mistake about it - the pagan revelry and the drunkenness that existed before the Christian conquest still remain an undiminished element of the celebration.
So, why specifically is Christianity more popular than it was 100 years ago? Why, even with the knowledge of how the universe came into being 14 billion years ago, are pews not empty? Why, after man has been able to unravel the structure and building blocks of life, do people continue to pray to an invisible God?
Over the last century, capitalism has risen to a place of dominance in the world economy. And yes, the Church, particularly in the United States, has taken on all the features that has made capitalism successful. The idea of size and economies of scale is essential to modern capitalism and has not gone unnoticed by the Church.
Mega-church
The 20th century saw the emergence of the mega-church. There are over 1,000 such congregations in the U.S. with congregations of more than 2,000 people. The Willow Creek Community Church in Illinois is a classical example. It has a seating capacity of 7,200 and parking lot for 4,000 cars. You will not see a steeple or stained-glass windows there. Actually, it has the look of a sports auditorium with massive video screens and its own food court. It boasts an annual income of US$55 million.
Another feature of modern capitalism is its readiness to harness the latest technology to its own ends. The Church has done the same. Pastor Joel Osteen uses his television ministry to reach a global audience of seven million. Bishop T. D. Jakes employs satellite to minister to the inmates of 260 prisons weekly. There are churches with music studios and record labels, not to mention the hi-tech music technology that is the lifeblood of any church interested in attracting youth.
The Church is not shy about borrowing from the 'world' anymore. It puts to work the market strategies and management techniques from famous business schools. The Christian best-selling books are not those titled Spiritual Authority or Reaching God Through Prayer. Those would scare buyers - they are conspicuously religious. The Purpose-Driven Life or Your Best Life Now, by T. D. Jakes and Joel Osteen, respectively, strike a more resonant chord in the mass market. Together, these books have registered sales in excess of 30 million copies.
Religion continues to flourish not so much because it seeks to save humanity from sin, but because it achieves what science and technology cannot: It redeems humanity from a sense of purposelessness. Christianity has survived not because it has stuck to the 'old-time religion'; on the contrary, it has done so because it adapted. And yet, in all of this, one cannot help but feel that it has given up some of its purity in exchange for popularity.
Cedric Wilson is an economics consultant who specialises in market regulations. Send your comments to: conoswil@hotmail.com
