Incline Your Hearts

Full-Fat Christianity

There’s been a lot of media attention recently on a possible revival of church attendance and commitment, particularly in the Roman Catholic Church. A number of Catholic dioceses have reported larger groups of people making faith commitments this year, including at Easter. In particular, more young adults, especially young men seem to be coming to church, not only for worship but for formation and fellowship.

My favorite sociologist of religion, Ryan Burge, would point out that the data is not evident for a religious revival in America. The decline in church involvement over the past three or four decades may be slowing, and there are pockets of growth, but a major revival of Christian denominations in America is much more a wish than a reality, according to the data. As the Baby Boomers leave us over the next 10-15 years, no generation following them comes close in terms of faith affiliation. The generational cliff still looms.

Nonetheless, in some of those denominations, dioceses, and congregations that are growing, there are some interesting trends. One, particularly among Roman Catholic converts, is a desire for what is sometimes, half-jokingly called “Full-Fat Christianity,” which refers not to the food at coffee hour but to faith that is not watered-down, but traditional, vigorous, unapologetic about the supernatural, and high-commitment in its expectations of believers. I see some signs of this as I go around our Episcopal Diocese of Oklahoma. Many of the people I talk with who are committing to the Episcopal Church in Confirmation are looking for a denomination that is welcoming and inclusive of all, but that holds fast to the ancient, creedal faith, and encourages committed Christian practice and discipleship, and application of the Bible to daily life.

In this season of Eastertide, we hear again the strange stories of the Risen Christ appearing to his followers (this Sunday it’s the Emmaus road gospel). Honestly, if these stories are just fanciful tales or mere metaphors that ask little of us, what’s the point? But if Christ really was raised from the dead, appeared to his disciples, and offers us forgiveness of sins, and our own bodily resurrection, then that is a Christianity worth building our life on.