Initial Thoughts

Christendom. A noble ideal. An illusion. I would argue that it has never existed, in spite of the fact that it can be pointed out quite clearly in history. I would argue that “Christendom” was so named by the powerful elite as a way to justify their own, often very un-Christian behavior, and to hide behind the power of the church. By centralizing the government under Christ they were, in essence, provided with a carte blanche. Who can argue against the mouth piece of God or Divine Right? I would argue that there was nothing more “holy” or “Christian” about the culture during any particular historical period than there is today. Christendom, as a political aspiration, is nothing more than a Utopian dream.

Christian Culture, however, is another matter altogether and one worthy of a great deal of discussion. If by “Christendom” you mean a culture which is composed of Christian people who put hands and feet to the gospel, thereby preserving the culture at large, then, certainly, there is hope for it’s establishment. I would argue that true “Christendom” in this sense has been in continuous existence since the time of Christ and is not defined by borders or political movements. It is not, I think, something to be planned from the top down as a governmental structure, but, rather, something that grows quite organically from the bottom up. The smallest unit of Christendom is the man himself. He who follows Christ, quietly, in his own mind and directs his own steps according to the principles of Scripture. This man then finds his mate and the two together form a family and endeavor to impart this same love for God and reverence for his ways into whichever children may find their way, by birth or providence, into their home. Each little family is, in essence, it’s own little state; it’s own political unit of Christendom. The influence of these little units of Christendom is not to be underestimated. God has, more than once, changed history through the channel of one family.

It seems to me, that if one is truly interested in impacting the world for Christ, in “re-establishing Christendom” on earth then the best and most useful course of action would be to take a wife and set about the messy business of birthing babies, raising men and concerning oneself with the foundation rather than the lofty heights. With a firm undergirding, the ramparts tend to take care of themselves.

I don’t know any of the lovely minds invited to participate here besides my friend Matthew. Perhaps I am the old lady of the group. Perhaps not. Either way, it seems to me that the idealism of the young often gets tempered by the beatings endured in the gales of “real life,” and that is a shame. Dreaming big dreams is how one changes the world. There is, however, danger, I think, in becoming overly cerebral in one’s discussions of how to go about changing the world and achieving a Utopian dream without the needed balance of boots on the ground. It is one thing to sit in smoking jackets and talk of Christendom, where it has gone and how to recapture it for the modern era; it is quite another to do the hard work of sanding the rough edges, overcoming the selfishness, cultivating the generosity, exercising hospitality, and the many other aspects of “one anothering” that the gospel admonishes us to and which define Christendom apart from the secular culture. Then there is the business of inspiring the children to take up the cause for the next generation, which sounds simple enough until those children arrive in person, unique souls on their own paths before the Holy God.

Matthew, you and I have sat long and late around campfires and tables with wine in hand and talked. I know your heart to be a true one and I LOVE that you’ve opened this discussion. Thank you, sincerely, for including me.