Thoughts about the Future on New Year Day 2018

Last updated on: January 3, 2018 at 7:22 am by Roger E. Olson

Thoughts about the Future on New Year Day 2018 2018-01-03T07:22:58-05:00 Roger E. Olson

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.

I am often asked to predict the future. Most often this request arises from someone in a church group, although occasionally students also ask. The typical scenario is that I am speaking about theology and/or religion to a church Sunday School class or Wednesday evening gathering. During the Q & A time at the end of my talk about, for example, the Reformation, someone asks “Where do you think Christianity will go in the coming year or century? What does the future hold for Christianity?”

Among other things I am a historical theologian; one of my special areas of research has long been the history of Christian thought—from the church fathers to our time. I’ve written at least two books on the subject. (My publisher would expect me to mention them, so…The Story of Christian Theology and The Journey of Modern Theology both published by InterVarsity Press in the U.S.) One thing my study of the history of Christian thought has taught me is never to predict the future of Christianity.

Yes, I know, “Those who refuse to learn from history are doomed to repeat its mistakes” (to paraphrase philosopher Santayana). I always say there are many mistakes we can avoid repeating by studying history—including the history of Christian thought. For example, all the heresies that plagued the early Christians during the Roman Empire are still around. We don’t need to reinvent the wheel of Christian theology.

We can also learn from more recent history. During the 1970s through the 1990s America was plagued by a series of horrible cult disasters: Jonestown (which actually happened in South America but it was a U.S. based church called The People’s Temple before it moved there), the Branch Davidians, the Solar Temple, etc., etc. Christians should have learned from these tragedies never to follow self-appointed, narcissistic prophets not accountable to anyone.

However, when pressed to predict the future I always say something like this: Imagine being an American Christian in 1900 or 1901 when many Protestants in the U.S. were looking forward to the 20th century being “The Christian Century.” (A still published magazine’s title reflects that hope and expectation.) The 19th century was an era of great optimism and positive expectations among Christians in the U.S. Now we call the 20th century the “genocidal century.” Who in 1900/1901 (1901 was, of course, really the first year of the new century) could have predicted the course of world events, politics or Christianity in the U.S. or around the world in 1900/1901?

*Sidebar: The opinions expressed here are my own (or those of the guest writer); I do not speak for any other person, group or organization; nor do I imply that the opinions expressed here reflect those of any other person, group or organization unless I say so specifically. Before commenting read the entire post and the “Note to commenters” at its end.*

To be more specific…who could have predicted in 1918 the “bombshell” of Karl Barth’s theology launched with his publication of the first edition of his Der Römerbrief (The Epistle to the Romans)? Who could have predicted the pessimism about humanity that followed the First World War in Europe and then the Second World War in America? Who could have seen on the horizon the rise of a renaissances of the doctrines of original sin and of the Trinity? Who could have predicted the rise of fundamentalism in two stages?

I teach my students that, at least for Christian theology, the 20th century really began with WW1 and its aftermath; almost everything changed. Fundamentalism, Christian Realism, Neo-Orthodoxy, Existentialist Theologies, Protestant Ecumenism, the New Evangelicalism, Liberation Theologies…all and many more 20th century theological phenomena had roots in previous times, but almost nobody in 1918 could have predicted how profoundly influential these movements became after 1918.

For these reasons and simple humility I regretfully decline to predict the future of Christianity or Christian theology. My simple answer is “It will probably surprise everyone.”

*Note to commenters: This blog is not a discussion board; please respond with a question or comment only to me. If you do not share my evangelical Christian perspective (very broadly defined), feel free to ask a question for clarification, but know that this is not a space for debating incommensurate perspectives/worldviews. In any case, know that there is no guarantee that your question or comment will be posted by the moderator or answered by the writer. If you hope for your question or comment to appear here and be answered or responded to, make sure it is civil, respectful, and “on topic.” Do not comment if you have not read the entire post and do not misrepresent what it says. Keep any comment (including questions) to minimal length; do not post essays, sermons or testimonies here. Do not post links to internet sites here. This is a space for expressions of the blogger’s (or guest writers’) opinions and constructive dialogue among evangelical Christians (very broadly defined).

Uncategorized

Previous Post

December 28, 2017

America has Become a Mission Field

Next Post

January 4, 2018 Why Become Roman Catholic? A Response to Christian Smith and Others

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Against Liberal Theology Uncategorized

Select a Month October 2026 September 2026 August 2026 July 2026 June 2026 May 2026 April 2026 March 2026 February 2026 January 2026 December 2025 November 2025 October 2025 September 2025 August 2025 July 2025 June 2025 May 2025 April 2025 March 2025 February 2025 January 2025 December 2024 November 2024 October 2024 September 2024 August 2024 July 2024 June 2024 May 2024 April 2024 March 2024 February 2024 January 2024 December 2023 November 2023 October 2023 September 2023 August 2023 July 2023 June 2023 May 2023 April 2023 March 2023 February 2023 January 2023 December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 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 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

According to James, if you show favoritism, what have you become?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Hypocrites Lawbreakers False teachers Judges with evil thoughts