Postsecular Age. Pause. Rewind.

There are moments when I’m reading and one particular word or phrase will cause me to pause. Where my mind wanders from there will likely have nothing to do with the context in which I read the word in the first place, but it sends me on a journey of thought nonetheless.

I was just reading an article called, “The Changing Chaplaincy” from the October edition of University Business. While quoting Douglas and Rhonda Jacobsen, the writer, Ron Schachter, tells us that they “authored The American University in the Postsecular Age.”

Pause.

Rewind.

Postsecular Age.

Pause.

Rewind.

Postsecular Age?

I guess for us religious folk, this is a good thing to know. We have now moved into the postsecular age. Whatever that means.

Perhaps it means that just as we saw more talk of religious views during the most recent presidential election, it is no longer bad form to discuss our religious views in secular circles.

Bill Maher comes to mind as I continue to pause, rewind, and ponder “postsecular age.” Maher’s recent documentary Religulous may very well be his reaction to our moving into a more religious world rather than evidence that we are moving away from religion.

I should be clear. I have not yet seen the movie. This is not because of any moral reasoning, but only because I NEVER GET TO GO TO THE MOVIES ANYMORE. That is a frustration of parenthood that I will leave for another post. When my Netflix list works down to it, I will watch Maher’s critique of all things religious. Being a huge fan of Politically Incorrect and his HBO show, I know enough about Maher’s views to have a sense of the points made in the film. Heck, the title says it all!

So, if scholars are right and we are moving into (or have already arrived) in the postsecular age, will we begin to hear more and more from our atheist brothers and sisters as a natural reaction? And, more importantly for me, will this mean that those on the religious right (really far right), will be quiet? That really would be a new age.

And, that brings another phrase to my mind.

“Yes, Virginia, there is a Santa Claus.”

Thank you, W!

I don’t exactly hide my political views, but I don’t exactly share them openly either. Doing so as a pastor can be damaging to a congregation, not to mention to one’s self. However, as I watch the news, listen to NPR (oops, that may be an expression of my political views right there!), and discuss the recent election with others, I’m suddenly feeling the urge to say thank you to our current president. That’s right. Thank you George W. Bush!

In recent years, I’ve wondered why young people in our nation seem to care so little about what is going on around them. One of my strongest memories of my first youth ministry was trying to have a theological discussion on capital punishment with 13 – 16 year olds and being devastated when one of “the good ones” said, “What does that have to do with us? We don’t care.” I could never seem to find a way to make them understand that what happens on the other side of the world does have something to do with them, that what happens to the death row inmate does affect their lives. They just didn’t care. I can’t help but wonder how those kids who are now in their mid to late twenties voted in this election.

Even when we went to war in Iraq, there were few protests. People just seemed to not care – until it hit home and became a son or a daughter. And, maybe folks are right when they say that the difference between Vietnam and Iraq is that people were SENT to Vietnam, people SIGNED ON for Iraq. And, maybe people seem to not care because low wages or poor working conditions just don’t seem as bad as being denied access to a college education or not being allowed to sit at a lunch counter or being asked to move to the back of the bus.

But, something happened this week. If you have facebook, you can see it everywhere. People typing in to their “facebook status” that they feel hope again (or for the first time). Of course, there are those who are disappointed, who feel just the opposite, but it seems they are in the minority. Wait, they are actually the minority. The election results prove that.

Something happened through this campaign. Oprah Winfrey sported a t-shirt on her top rated television show the day after the election that read, “Hope Won.” Somehow, people seem to care again. And, I don’t want to take away from the charisma, intellect, or political savvy of our next president, but I do think that we owe some thanks to the current one. Because without the complete and total failure that the majority of the nation seem to think of the current administration, I believe people would simply remain apathetic and content with the status quo. There is something to be said for hard times bringing people together and for a common dislike of another being able to unite people from all kinds of backgrounds.

Something happened this week. Something that seems to bring us together, even if we voted differently in the election. Something that caused a French reporter to cry when he heard who had won the U.S. Presidential election. Something that has Great Britain asking themselves if they need to do better about seeking diversity in Parliament. Something that had Kenyans dancing in the street. Something happened this week and Barak Obama is not the Messiah, but he does deserve most of the credit. But, something happened this week and I think it also important to recognize that without “W” it would not have been possible. So, thank you, President Bush, thank you. And, good riddance.