Adaptation vs. Assimilation

At one time in American history, the lines between the church and society were so blurred as to often make them indistinguishable.  For example, De Toqueville's analysis of America in the early 1800's is stunning in that respect:  "On my arrival in the United States the religious aspect of the country was the first thing that struck my attention; and the longer I stayed there, the more I perceived the great political consequences resulting from this new state of things.  In France I had almost always seen the spirit of religion and the spirit of freedom marching in opposite directions.  But in America I found they were intimately united and that they reigned in common over the same country."  (DeToqueville, p. 308)  What this really means is that virtue and morality were the underpinnings of this country - specifically Christian virtue and morality.  Those that came here did not bring their baggage and old world values with them.  They came looking for a better life, and they assimilated into this way of life here, with a clear cut concept of right and wrong, and knowing this was what was expected of them here in America.  In other words:  those who came to America not only knew that they were expected to change and adapt to this country's virtue and morality, they welcomed it.

The same is true of the church.  Fundamental doctrines such as "Law and Gospel" have been misunderstood for centuries.  The letter of the law kills, but the Spirit of Christ gives life.  Saved by faith?  Yes.  Saved FOR works?  Of course.  So every effort is to be made to conform to the law, not that it might save us, but that it protects and preserves the common good of the neighbor, and thus it honors the God to whom all creation owes its existence.  Yet throughout history, the pendulum has swung between extreme legalism (the pietists and others of the past) to antinomianism (a.k.a. "without law" - the liberal progressive bunch that seeks to "unsin" so many things contrary to God's law today).  We are living very much in the age of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's "cheap grace:"  The grace and forgiveness we bestow upon ourselves, without seeking that from God.

This is probably nothing earth-shattering, but American society and the church are on parallel paths today.  No longer do immigrants adapt to the culture of America.  It has changed so fundamentally and profoundly from within that there is no standard of morality and virtue any longer.  Instead, we have assimilated all manner of bad and just plain evil behaviors into our societal norm that the spirits of religion and freedom are no longer marching in sync.  They have gone the way of every other country on the face of the earth.  Many of those countries are closer to collapse than we are.  Greece would be a fine example of this. Recent rulings by the Supreme Court here, along with evidence of massive fraud, scandal, lies amongst our political leaders, coupled with corruption and perverse practices even among such controversial things as abortion have demonstrated that the foundations of virtue and morality once held in high esteem in this country and what once made this nation great, are a thing of the past.

The question - and challenge -before us is simple and it is this:  Are we going to recapture any semblance of moral underpinnings here in this country, or are we going to simply continue down the slippery slope of "anything goes?"  Some of us are vowing to recapture that essence and attempt to adapt ourselves and our lives to it once again, even if others won't follow.  Will you in your personal life and in your public life adapt to a norm, or will you assimilate all of your bad habits into that norm?  That is the choice facing us today.  I pray we can collectively make the right choice before its too late.