What will Christianity look like in 200 years?

[charlie]

Think back to what the Christian world looked like in 1804. The morals, the style of worship, the number of denominations, the opinions of various groups held by various other groups, the hot topics and issues, the medium of communication.

Now think to today and note the changes. See if any trends have developed.

What will it be like in 2204 if things keep going the way they're going. Obviously the world has changed more in the past 60 years than in the 140 (or 1140) years before then, but still, use your imagination and guess: what would you notice first about the Church in 200 years?

[WileyClarkson]

The worship practice and whether women had gained the equal standing they deserve.

However, at the present time, I'm doubtfull that the Earth will make it that far.

[Bon Voyage]

I don't know if the present state of earth will be here.

[Mere Nick]

Bowling scores will be higher and putt-putt scores will be lower.  That's what Rufus told us in "Bill & Ted's Excellent Adventure".  However, it may very well be like a Conan movie.

But then, it may turn out that African, Indian and Chinese missionaries may making hundreds of millions of converts and taking the word more seriously.

[MikeGloster]

Considering that a recent survey in Europe showed that in Denmark ,for instance, fifty-five percent of the people do not consider  God to be of any importance; and considering that, in America, over eighty percent of the people consider God important, never doubted his existence, and pray every day, and yet there seems to be little or no impact on our society by these same folks; we can expect that the churches in the third world will mount a huge missionary effort in the West.

[charlie]

Interesting responses so far. A couple have declared that the world probably won't be here, and a couple more feel that the third world and the East will re-evangelize the West. I think that is interesting considering the influence that the West has had in Eastern and third world Christianity. As far as I know, there are only scant pockets of Christians in those areas that are not local versions of Western brands of Christianity. I had thought for a while that, throughout church history, the purest discipleship was found when the church was oppressed, and that when the church enjoyed peace and prosperity, corruption was inevitable. So where is the true church most likely to be found today? Anywhere in America or the West? I'd say look first in places where people are killed for their beliefs. Sudan. The Philippines. China. That being said, perhaps they will evangelize us in coming centuries. Will we listen? Or will we shove them away with imperialist arrogance and tell them, "do you really dare to teach to us the things which we originally taught you?" Or will we simply chortle at their primitive theology, much like the elite in Western Europe and parts of America do when they encounter the overliteralism of Fundamentalist Christianity?

Keep those thoughts coming!   :eatingpopcorn:

[s1n4m1n]

In the next 100 years I can see the following happening:

1) a revival of Christianity in Europe. Most of the secularists will contracept themselves out of existance and the remaining marginal Christians will end up getting serious about their religion when faced with a Muslim takeover.

2) the development of a "new brand" of Christianity. The liberal Protestant denominations will eventually merge and make an effort to syncretize Christianity with other world religions and with secular culture.

3) the rise of Christian terrorism and possibly even religious wars (see number 1). With an increasing number of cloning abominations (glow in the dark people, people with gills, "organ trees", etc.) the restraint of some Christians will reach a breaking point.


Ken

[Cliftyman]

I think the world will continue to get worse .... the legalist Christians to get more embittered .... the faithful Christians to get more faithful .... the faithful remnant of Jews to grow .... I believe our country will continue to crumble .... our focus on money and leisure will generally undo us ....

There will be two forms of Christianity in the US.... those who say Lord, Lord but have no worship in their lives (I mean worship in Jesus's sense, helping the needy, helping the sick and afflicted) other than a song and a prayer on Sunday morning....

The others will have beautiful unity between all those seeking Christ... they will work in the trenches, behind closed doors and many will come to Christ through the fruits of the Spirit

------------------------

I hope this world doesn't last much longer... I am nearly ready to go home.

[kebecer1]

I think that many Protestant Christians will be united into more "uniting and uniting Churches", as with the Uniting Church in Australia, or the United Church of Christ in the U.S.A., or the United Church of Canada.  Not all Christians will take this route, but I think that those centered on liturgy and worship, the sacraments and the scriptures, will.   :playingguitar:

[boringoldguy]

A lot yellower;  Some felllow has written a book predicting that in 100 years China will be a Christian country.   That's an interesting possibility.   Of course, we don't really know how many Christians there are in China now, but the number is surely in the tens of millions, if not over one hundred million.

A lot blacker - Christianity is on the march in Africa.   The recent information that the number of CofC people there exceeds the number in North America is just one tiny indicator.

Browner?  Probably not - Christianity is already pretty brown.

Less white?   Almost for sure.  Western Europe is plagued with declining birth rates and North America seems headed the same direction.

Probably a lot more committed to the historic and traditional doctrines of the church and less enthused about personal experience and private interpretation and other peculiarities of current Protestantism.

Just a guess.

[kebecer1]

"Jesus in Beijing" was pub'd this year and is authored by a Brit evangelical.  He opines that Christianity's rise in China is hand-in-hand w/ capitalism (and that is NOT my politics, it's his); interesting discussion.

I heard the former head of the Nat'l Council of Churches in the U.S.A., the Rev Dr Joan Brown CAMPBELL, a Disciple, and a (ahem) "Campbellite", talk at Heights Christian Church in Cleveland, a black/white congo., re: her visit w/ an American Church delegation.  She stated how dangerous it is still to worship there, and how she slipped out to a barn in the middle of nowhere, to be part of 900 Chinese Christian singing, gustily and lustily ("Just As I Am'" in Mandarin, all 3 000 verses); it was dangerous, and lively, she stated.  Rev Brown remarked that the Church in China has grown aft/ the 1949 Red Chinese takeover, when the Church no longer was considered the Chinese word (I forget) for 'foreign; in other words, it is Chinese to be Christian.  Aft/ that, she said, it has thrived.

Our congo is to have a visit from our DoC/UCC-missionary related couple from Germany on the last Sunday in April.  There, she has told us in letters and e-missives, faith and Americanness are really separated, and she can see the Gospel in a post-Christian culture.  That will be a treat, and informative.

The UCC is growing FAST among Hispanics and the largest (1 000 member) church is African-American (Trinity UCC in Chicag--tucc.org).  Quite a change from the almost all white-boy outfit who started the shebang back in 1957, and some several centuries b/f that in the predecessor churches.  

That must be the future of the American church.  With thanks!~

[kebecer1]

I should have proofread.  Trinity UCC has TEN thousand members.  Mea culpa!

[spurly]

What will Christianity look like?  I don't know.  My prayer is that we will look more and more like Jesus - exposing sin, loving the sinner, loving each other in the body, and hating religous hypocrisy.  If the people in the world saw these characteristics, many who don't darken the door of a church would be on our doorstep tomorrow.

[OUmillenium]

I think this 5 yr old thread has some fascinating discussion points, particularly with updated events in China (our economic debt/tie in), as well as violence in India toward Christian missionaries.

Also within the last 5 years, the book UnChristian has chronicled related research about how modern Christianity has become a bit more unpopular among younger generations due to the lack of compassion and being too judgemental/hypocritical.

At the end of the book, many Christian leaders are asked what they think Christianity will look like in 30 years.  Wonderful and positive responses for the most part.

[Dexter]

I believe Jesus will be back for his people within 200 years, so Christianity will look like Heaven on Earth quite literally. 

[Logismos]

Old mainline denominations are already dying and in 200 years there will still be a vague carcass of those remaining. Today is the golden age of white suburban bourgeois Evangelical Christianity which is the religion of America's affluent middle class. However, the growth of free markets in India and China as well as the emergence of the European Union as a greater economic and political force will mean that Americas hegemony that it has enjoyed since 1918 will be over. America in 200 years will still be a major world power but it will be one among many. The current post-WWII suburban ideal will no longer be practical or affordable and thus America will become more urban and the dominant suburban evangelical Christianity will become less fashionable and something new will take its place that is more palatable to an urban sentiment. No political party in 200 years will cater to the desires of what we today consider Christian social conservatives and the loss of political influence will cause some fundamentalists to become even more radical and ostracized and perhaps even violent.

[farouk]

L:

Won't we be in the Millennium, then, most likely?

Old mainline denominations are already dying and in 200 years there will still be a vague carcass of those remaining. Today is the golden age of white suburban bourgeois Evangelical Christianity which is the religion of America's affluent middle class. However, the growth of free markets in India and China as well as the emergence of the European Union as a greater economic and political force will mean that Americas hegemony that it has enjoyed since 1918 will be over. America in 200 years will still be a major world power but it will be one among many. The current post-WWII suburban ideal will no longer be practical or affordable and thus America will become more urban and the dominant suburban evangelical Christianity will become less fashionable and something new will take its place that is more palatable to an urban sentiment. No political party in 200 years will cater to the desires of what we today consider Christian social conservatives and the loss of political influence will cause some fundamentalists to become even more radical and ostracized and perhaps even violent.

[walker starr]

L:
                                                                                              200 years from now we will be looking down at it feom heaven.
Won't we be in the Millennium, then, most likely?

Old mainline denominations are already dying and in 200 years there will still be a vague carcass of those remaining. Today is the golden age of white suburban bourgeois Evangelical Christianity which is the religion of America's affluent middle class. However, the growth of free markets in India and China as well as the emergence of the European Union as a greater economic and political force will mean that Americas hegemony that it has enjoyed since 1918 will be over. America in 200 years will still be a major world power but it will be one among many. The current post-WWII suburban ideal will no longer be practical or affordable and thus America will become more urban and the dominant suburban evangelical Christianity will become less fashionable and something new will take its place that is more palatable to an urban sentiment. No political party in 200 years will cater to the desires of what we today consider Christian social conservatives and the loss of political influence will cause some fundamentalists to become even more radical and ostracized and perhaps even violent.

[Logismos]

Well they said the same thing 200 years ago, and 2000 years ago.

[Jaime]

What sort of fundamentals must be avoided if a Christian is NOT considered "fundamental". Is fundamental Christian a redundant phrase like "born again" Christian?

[Britt333]

I think we'll be chilling up 'there' in 200 years....
                         

[Jaime]

I'm sure I will by then.

[ex cathedra]

 in two hundred years from now .

WILL IT EVEN BE WORSE THAN TODAY.

WHAT DOES THE BIBLE IT SELF SAY AS WE APROACH THE END OF HISTORY .


Matthew 24:11-14
11and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

[pilgrimwb]

Among the changes within the Christian Church, in 200 years:
• For the glass-is-half-empty Christian, it will become the worst of times.
• For the glass-is-half-full Christian, it will become the best of times.
• Beaming into others' "personal space" without their permission will be declared unscriptural.
• Terran Missionaries will travel to new galaxies and planets to evangelize non-hominids.
• Missionaries from other galaxies will travel to earth to evangelize American primitives.
• Cryogenic preservation will become a major Christian controversy.
• Homosexuality and abortion will cease to be inflammatory issues (and political planks!).
• Stem-cell research progress will make every believer look like they're in their 20s.
• Euthanasia and disthanasia will be practiced under a more sacred "conventional wisdom."
• The "Christian hall-of-fame" will include the names of computer and software pioneers.
• People will attend worship services via "surrogate" life forms.
• Between manifesting one's "chi" and electronically simulating any visual garment we choose, clothing will become optional.
• If Jesus waits until the year 10,000 to return, we will still be the "Early Church."
• God's mercy and grace toward fallen human nature will continue to endure.

[ex cathedra]

Matthew 24:11-14
11and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people. 12Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, 13but he who stands firm to the end will be saved. 14And this gospel of the kingdom will be preached in the whole world as a testimony to all nations, and then the end will come.

[marc]

I think it will grow a moustache.

[gothruchrist]

Think back to what the Christian world looked like in 1804. The morals, the style of worship, the number of denominations, the opinions of various groups held by various other groups, the hot topics and issues, the medium of communication.

Now think to today and note the changes. See if any trends have developed.

What will it be like in 2204 if things keep going the way they're going. Obviously the world has changed more in the past 60 years than in the 140 (or 1140) years before then, but still, use your imagination and guess: what would you notice first about the Church in 200 years?
[/uote]

we will be in the thousand year reign within 60 years.

P.s. I know almost all of u will disagree but its true because of historical events

[gothruchrist]

L:

Won't we be in the Millennium, then, most likely?

Old mainline denominations are already dying and in 200 years there will still be a vague carcass of those remaining. Today is the golden age of white suburban bourgeois Evangelical Christianity which is the religion of America's affluent middle class. However, the growth of free markets in India and China as well as the emergence of the European Union as a greater economic and political force will mean that Americas hegemony that it has enjoyed since 1918 will be over. America in 200 years will still be a major world power but it will be one among many. The current post-WWII suburban ideal will no longer be practical or affordable and thus America will become more urban and the dominant suburban evangelical Christianity will become less fashionable and something new will take its place that is more palatable to an urban sentiment. No political party in 200 years will cater to the desires of what we today consider Christian social conservatives and the loss of political influence will cause
some fundamentalists to become even more radical and ostracized and perhaps even violent.

our bodies r a living temple of god and should not be defiled by tatooes

[Ryan2010]

Think back to what the Christian world looked like in 1804. The morals, the style of worship, the number of denominations, the opinions of various groups held by various other groups, the hot topics and issues, the medium of communication.

Hm.  1804.  Was that a big year for Christianity?  Or just something that registers for a lot of people?  

Here's a little Orthodox history timeline.  Starts at 4 BC and runs up to 2010.  Some notable highlights include the discovery* of the Dead Sea Scrolls, some recent persecutions on mass scale that far exceed the Holocaust and which seem to go unnoticed in the West...  

http://www.quotes.orthodoxwiki.org/Category:Timelines

What will it be like in 2204 if things keep going the way they're going. Obviously the world has changed more in the past 60 years than in the 140 (or 1140) years before then, but still, use your imagination and guess: what would you notice first about the Church in 200 years?

Hm.  Dunno.  The Orthodox have been purty much the same since the 4th 5th century.  They'll probably still be fasting, repenting, getting persecuted, praying, blessing and singing the same Divine Liturgy we've been singing since the 4th/5th centuries.  


God bless



Whatever happened to those puritans anyway?  

[Charles Sloan]

What will Christianity look like in 200 years?

Hopefully like Revelation 21.

[Azrael]

I wish I could answer this, but I would get banned if I did so I will leave it alone.

[freeman]

God is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

[RalphMalph]

I reckon He shows up every 2160 years. Er, Maybe not cuz Mr. Hagee knows the 'Full-Blooded-Truth' of the 'Power & Redemption of God Almighty!!!!!' ((***clutches bible to the point where the words suffocate**))

They say He returns every age. Last age was Pisces. Now, we enterin' Aquarius.
Sure Thang 

[Wycliffes_Shillelagh]

What will Christianity look like in 200 years?

Hopefully like Revelation 21.

  Even so, come Lord Jesus.