"Sharp" Christians Are Leading A Resurgence

For decades, our cultural, intellectual, and scientific elite have celebrated the collapse of Christianity. America's influencers and gatekeepers cheerfully opine about the fading relevance of The Bible, question the intelligence of religious congregations, and convince people that we have evolved beyond the need for God. Yet, despite the constant barrage of attacks against it, Christianity is experiencing a resurgence worldwide. From the Eastern hemisphere to right here in the West, Christianity is springing up in places where secularism and faithlessness reigned for years. Is this Christian revival genuine or an orchestrated attempt by elites to grab power?

Jonathan Rauch explores this topic in his latest book, Cross Purposes: Christianity's Broken Bargain with Democracy. Rauch, an atheist homosexual Jewish LGBTQ activist, is a senior fellow at the liberal think tank Brookings Institute. He argues that Christianity in America has shifted from a moderate force with little appetite for political discourse to a more aggressive and politically engaged movement. Rauch calls this transformation "Sharp Christianity," contrasting it to the more passive Protestant influences of the 90s and early 2000s. Rauch sees this as a troubling trend, an erasure of the secular liberal principles he believes should govern America and protect democracy.

Let's hit the pause button and ask a very important question: why is this happening? Why are people returning to Christianity after decades of decline? If Christianity no longer holds relevance and has nothing to offer our modern society, then it should fade away like pagers, VHS tapes, and other relics of the past. Instead, we are witnessing the opposite.

People are rediscovering that Christianity is the foundation of Western civilization. It is not merely a set of ancient religious doctrines but the moral and philosophical bedrock upon which our freedoms, our laws, and our concept of humanity rely. Our freedoms are granted to us by God, not the government. Many of our laws come straight out of the book of Deuteronomy. God created us in His image and likeness; we are not merely an evolved species of monkeys.

Historically, Christianity has colored the culture of many Western countries. Capitalism, a phrase coined by the atheist Karl Marx, was not invented to acquire and hoard wealth. It was an economic system Christians invented to live out their biblical faith. Christian-majority countries drive on the right side of the road as a reminder to always practice righteousness when driving. It's why Americans place their right hand over their heart when reciting the Pledge of Allegiance. The progressive secularism that Jonathan Rauch and his peers champion has not led to holy flourishing but to moral chaos, cultural decline, and social fragmentation.

For years, the Left has assured us that stripping Christianity from public life would create a more diverse, equitable, inclusive, rational, and just society. That couldn't be further from the truth. We have seen a rise in degeneracy, debauchery, depression, loneliness, and self-destructive behavior. Rates of suicide, drug overdose deaths, and porn consumption are all at historic highs, which has led to the breakdown of the nuclear family, the erosion of traditional values, and a normalizing of sinful ambitions. Is it any wonder that people are rejecting this vision?

Predictably, many on the secular Left will claim the resurgence of Christianity is rooted in white nationalism or a cynical political power play. Once again, that couldn't be further from the truth. It is an organic repudiation of the empty promises of secularism and liberalism. People are seeking truth, meaning, and stability in a world that has been robbed of all three. They are turning their backs on modern lies and propaganda and turning back to traditional, time-tested truths. People are hearing the sound of the warning trumpet and are longing for America to return to its great Christian roots once more.

“The real question is not whether Christianity will survive. It will. The question is whether Western civilization will survive without it.”

Ruling secular elites will leave no stone unturned in trying to stomp out the Christian faith. They benefit from a society disenthralled from moral principles. Rauch and his ideological peers argue that the return of Christianity threatens democracy. The truth is that a lack of Christianity guarantees the death of democracy. A society that caters to the whims of the majority devolves into mob rule. It is no coincidence that as Christianity declined, authoritarianism rose.

Dr. Tony Evans, one of America's most influential Christian voices, has preached and written extensively that society's decay stems from a failure to uphold biblical principles. His teachings emphasize the Kingdom Agenda, a framework that calls for God's rule in every aspect of life—family, politics, and culture. Evans preaches that when Christians reclaim their biblical responsibility, they bring order to a chaotic world.

Even Rauch, who I reiterate is an atheist, discreetly acknowledges in his book the perils of a society devoid of Christianity. He warns that America suffers when Christianity is "too thin" (and too sharp).

So, is Christianity experiencing a true resurgence, or is it a last gasp in its final moments? The answer should be obvious. Christianity is not dying—it is refining itself. It is shedding the weak, lukewarm faith of cultural Christians and emerging stronger, bolder, and more committed than ever before.

The real question is not whether Christianity will survive. It will. The question is whether Western civilization will survive without it.

When Rauch uses the phrase "Sharp Christianity," he is referring to a faith that takes itself seriously—a faith that refuses to be pushed around by secular politicians and celebrities. America needs a strong brand of Christianity that built cathedrals, ended slavery, inspired the founding of America, and defended the dignity of every human life.

Rauch and his allies fear Christianity, not for the sake of democracy. They fear the return of a Christian World Order because a secular society can be manipulated for more money and worldly gains. Christianity is beginning to reclaim its rightful place in the heart of America and Western civilization. And that is very good news indeed.