[cut sifted ephedra sinica]

John Charnley wrote:

Does any one have an explanation for the consuming dislike of Christianity by secular authority in the west? My own sense of this is that this begins from at least the time of the Renaissance where it was said that 'man is the measure of all things'. Of course this effort to put man in a selfish sense at the centre of the universe has only grown through the centuries as a kind of cultural project. From the beginning of this it was understood that the Church (but not necessarily a generic 'christianity') represented a value inimical to this project.

But the values the Church taught are still very deeply woven into who we are in the west. What other explanation is there for the fact that so many secular reforms which consciously reject the active involvement of the Church are based on a humanism that also holds a kind of sacredness to man? Where else except in the west has this appeared in this way?

Putting ourselves in the centre as the measure of all things is something both potentially selfish & selfless with the balance constantly swinging back and forth between the two. Maybe this also explains the peculiar anger in our society that seems to feed on a kind of guilt. We would like to throw Christ out of our lives or at least tame Him; but every positive value we hearken to in our society recalls Him. So there's something masochistic about us in our present state.

On the immediate level of our parishes I also think this can be seen. I believe that most people who visit the Church almost immediately sense that the Church is a place of self-denial & this directs most clearly as to Who Christ is. People sense this intuitively even before they can consciously put this into words. This almost immediately confronts a person with a choice the depth & significance which perhaps they may have never faced before since much of society is dedicated to purposefully avoiding this choice. Due to this and also to how unexpected this choice is to many who come to the Church for the first time acceptance or rejection is part of an intense personal struggle someone may well have not faced before.

So in our present circumstances it would be very helpful to have more clarity about what affects these intense choices. Then we would be able to see where the essential issue is each time someone comes to the Church- for often they themselves are not able to consciously express what most deeply affects their desire to convert. We then by having some clearer idea ourselves may be of help in indicating to others where the doorways and traps are- although ultimately along every step of the way it is the person themselves who must freely choose.

In Christ- Fr Raphael