Christmas in an Age of Existential Crisis

Last updated on: December 25, 2015 at 1:18 pm by Nancy French

Christmas in an Age of Existential Crisis 2015-12-25T13:18:52-05:00 Nancy French

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Embed from Getty Images

It’s a great time to be alive, it’s a hard time to be alive. David French writes about this on National Review:

We live in an odd time. On the one hand, our cultural aristocrats are giddy at the decline in American faith. They celebrate each new study showing that “nones” — those without a religious affiliation — are on the rise, as if the loss of faith means the opening of the heart. The age of tolerance is upon us, they say: America is breaking the shackles of the past, and Americans are free to indulge their every physical whim. It’s a great time to be alive.

But then there are other studies that no one is celebrating. If it’s a great time to be alive, why are so many choosing to die? Suicide rates are rising “sharply.” Opioid overdoses have hit “record highs.” And yesterday the Washington Post reported that “Americans are drinking themselves to death at record rates.” Among white Americans, self-inflicted death rates are so high that they’ve counteracted the long-term benefits of extraordinary advances in medical science. And for every American who consciously commits suicide — or who is so indifferent to his body’s fate that he feeds it vast amounts of drugs and alcohol — there are dozens more who feel like death, lost in the haze of depression.

So, what’s the answer? There’s no one culprit and no magic bullet. But there is a solution. (And only one.) His name is Jesus… and at Christmas, this is an appropriate time to recognize this truth. David continues:

The true tragedy of America’s loss of faith is a separation from the source of our life and hope. It’s too trite to say that Jesus makes life easy. After all, He’s the one who demands that we “take up our cross” to follow Him. Jesus doesn’t give jobs, grant earthly glory, or guarantee harmony in your family. He’s not Santa.

But He does give us eternal hope, extraordinary purpose, and exceptional strength. The hope of Christ isn’t found merely in the fact of His existence but in the imitation of His life. He demonstrated humility we can’t comprehend, came to Earth to serve rather than reign, and provided the eternal model of selfless sacrifice when He substituted His life for ours on the cross.

Okay, that’s a little bit more Easter-y than Christmas, but I think you’ll forgive me.

Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Acts 5:31 Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.

Philippians 2:8-10 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth

Order my next three books on Amazon:

Read more on the Patheos Faith and Family Channel, follow Nancy on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram!

Uncategorized

Previous Post

December 23, 2015

VIDEO: Sarah Palin Spoofs Tina Fey in Fake, Funny "3rd Rock" Promo

Next Post

December 27, 2015 Don Lemon Ends CNN Interview After Guest Kurt Schlichter Calls Bill Clinton a "Serial Sexual Abuser": Watch Now!

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Christmas faith family ministry music Television Uncategorized

Select a Month June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 March 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz