American Culture

“In all of this, Evangelicals come across to the general public as mean-spirited, hypocritical in their claims to be moral, and insincere in their professed allegiance to Jesus. I’m not saying this is accurate–I think it shows great misunderstanding–but this is the perception.” - Veith

“We are often despised not so much for following Jesus, but for NOT following Jesus, though we say we do. What I’ve heard is accusations that Evangelicals do not really believe what they say they believe.” - Veith

“Home has become our stadium and athletic arena. We have become accustomed to viewing sporting events rather than attending them…. home has become our fitness center, since we elected to buy a Peleton bike rather than keep our gym membership. And, of course, the home has become an office for millions…. We are in a post-place world.” - Thom Rainer

“The report shows 5.6 percent of people in the U.S. identify as LGBTQ, up from 4.5 percent in 2017.” - N. Review

On Cultural Understanding, Part 2: The United States - Olinger

“In Barna’s ranking of the most post-Christian cities in America, New England and the West Coast predictably dominate the top of the list. But keep scrolling, and you’ll begin to spot some Southern states. Texas, Florida, and North Carolina all have cities in the top 50.” - Lifeway Research

“[T]oday a belief even in the possibility that there are things we can identify as good falls prey to cynicism. Culture reflects this. Across the dizzying variety of digital entertainment media, one constant holds: we live in the era of the ‘complex’ protagonist, characters whose stories lean toward a kind of benevolent moral ambiguity at best.

“Augustine’s statement, though, is a very powerful instrument for understanding a nation or a culture: What do the people love? I would say that the object of love for Americans, historically, has been freedom….There is nothing wrong with loving these things, but, St. Augustine would say, unless the people also love God, their lesser loves can lead them astray.” - Veith

“Americans are more likely to trust medical professionals, while few believe pastors are completely honest. Gallup’s annual ratings of the honesty and ethical standards of professions finds nurses continue to be the most trusted, followed by medical doctors, grade-school teachers and pharmacists.” - F&T

“Seven things Christians can look forward to this year after a very challenging 2020: space, virtual learning, challenges for Christians, ministry, and more.” - AiG