‘Rumours of God’s death are greatly exaggerated’

ARE you losing your religion? Have you lost it? Or have you never had religion? As the song by the American rock band REM says: “That’s me in the corner, That’s me in the spotlight, losing my religion.”

The reason I’m asking this question is that a recent survey has revealed that more than half of people in Scotland now have no religion. Findings from the Scottish Social Attitudes survey show 52 per cent of people say they are not religious, compared with 40 per cent in 1999 when the survey began.

The findings, published by ScotCen Social Research, also reveals attendance at religious services is at the lowest level recorded since 1999.

So this looks like terrible news for religion in Scotland, and a reason for weeping and wailing and gnashing of teeth.

Well, we’ll see.

In the Victorian era, it seemed as if the biggest religious choice to be made in Scotland had to do with which branch of Presbyterianism to follow. It’s important not to exaggerate this: significant numbers of people wouldn’t have cared less about Presbyterianism and its works.

Nevertheless, Scotland exhibited a churchgoing culture; the Kirk’s teachings and outreach – particularly in terms of education and care for the poor – were hugely influential.

After the Disruption in 1845, the energy and passion of the newly formed Free Church of Scotland sparked the building of many new churches up and down the land.

Fast forward. By the 1950s, the national Church of Scotland had not far off 1.5 million signed-up adult members. So what happened?

Life happened. Profound societal change happened. New ideas happened. Challenging critiques of Christianity happened.

What we have been witnessing is a serious decline in the power of the old “Christendom”, and an anguished grieving for the “good old days” when church and state cosied up to one another.

The days when people joined churches just as a matter of course, or in order to rise in society, are gone.

An unmitigated tragedy? I don’t think so. In fact, I think this is a time of opportunity. Critiques of the churches have clarified many issues.

The 9/11 events raised very public questions about religious extremism. The “mood music” around religion has changed dramatically: there are few things less in fashion in today’s modish culture than public adherence to a religious tradition.

From a Christian perspective, I think the challenge to the churches today is to live much closer to the gospel of Christ.

That is much more important than vague talk about religion, or cringe-making gimmicks to get people back to church.

“ From a Christian perspective, I think the challenge to the churches today is to live much closer to the gospel of Christ.

The privileging of the Christian churches by the political powers came at a price. The gospel of Christ has at times been compromised.

I am currently reading Diarmaid MacCulloch’s magisterial study: A History of Christianity – The First Three Thousand Years. What is clear is that renewal is often preceded by critical self-reflection and a refocusing on the core message.

Communities of faith will survive because of a profound centuries-old human longing for transcendence. The fundamental question: “Is what we see all that there is?” is not going to go away.

Rumours of God’s death are greatly exaggerated. And the yearning for ‘something more’ will not disappear.

Only renewed and imaginative communities of faith, stripped of privilege and power, will be credible enough to offer spiritual bread to a hungry generation.