Has Christianity become a Casualty of Casual?

Tom Hanks is one of the most recognizable film stars in the world of on-screen entertainment. With films like Forrest Gump (1994); Apollo 13 (1995); Bridge of Spies (2015) and Castaway (2000) his name has become synonymous with cinematic success. When asked what one piece of advice has shaped his acting career, he will more than likely relate the story of the ‘Irritated Film Director’. Tired of actors forgetting their lines, not knowing where they should be or failing to make a constructive contribution, the annoyed director stopped rehearsals and turning to his actors shouted: “Stop asking me for your lines or where you should be, or how you should deliver them. Your job is to show up on time, know the text and have a good idea!” Hanks thought to himself: ‘Showing up on time’ – means arriving early; knowing the text – means being present in the moment and having a good idea – means being ready and prepared to make a valid contribution. For Thomas Jeffrey Hanks, those three key phrases have become his acting modus-operandi.         

      In some strange way those statements seem to resonate with the words of the apostle Paul. Writing to a Church in the ancient city of Corinth Paul stated: ‘So here’s what I want you to do. When you gather for worship, each one of you be prepared with something that will be useful for all…’ [1] Sounds to me a bit like, ‘show up on time, know the text and be ready to contribute’.

Casualties of Casual

For those who have been around for any length of time, it’s hard not to notice how laid-back society has become. As the West shifts from formal to inform, casual has become the new normal. Whether it’s a wedding, funeral, social or work event, people’s attitude and attire has become far more nonchalant. In both language and lifestyle casual has become the go-to practice. Words like: labor, workers, sex, clothes, friendship, relationships and commitment are now commonly coupled with the word casual. While others see this as progressive, one has to wonder if by adopting a more laid-back approach to people, objects or events, society is running the risk of appearing to be somewhat: unintentional; disinterested; inconsiderate; careless; offhanded; relaxed and generally unconcerned with what others feel. If such behavior was limited to the social scene that would be bad enough, but sadly it seems to be seeping into the religious realm.

       Although some might find the question timely and others a tad tiresome, one has to wonder if when it comes to corporate worship, arriving late and leaving early is a symptom of Christianity becoming a casualty of casual. Put another way, we could ask if in terms of our spiritual intimacy, ‘Is The Honeymoon Over?’ Calling out those Christian worshippers in the ancient city of Ephesus, the Holy Spirit characterized their behavior as having ‘abandoned their first love,’ [2] Their passion for spiritual things had begun to dissipate. Becoming overly familiar with the divine, they no longer pursued God as they once did. That overwhelming excitement associated with first love, that willingness to be inconvenienced, was something that these early Christian had begun to walk away from.

       While visitors, new-comers and those with special needs should be under no obligations to either arrive on time or stay till the end of any church gathering, one has to ask if the ‘come as you are philosophy’ of yesterday is having a negative effect on present-day attitudes. If so, does our laid-back approach to spiritual things not only dishonor God but appear somewhat disrespectful to others. Is it possible to proclaim ourselves as sons and daughters of a loving heavenly Father, while behaving like distant relatives who either rarely turn up or arrive late to family events. We might speak of ourselves as ambassadors of heaven on earth, but does practicing a casual attitude to all things spiritual reflect that in reality?      

        So where did this casual behavior originate? While churches with a youth centric culture might justify such as an essential requirement for being ‘relevant’, others point to the changing ethnic mix taking place in local congregations. However, while leaning heavily toward a youthful demographic will change the dynamic of any church gathering and a changing ethnic mix will do the same - the source of this present problem is far deeper. 

        While the UK news media continues to headline the difficulty of getting a doctor’s appointment, it’s easy to forget that every month over 1 million people fail to turn up to see their GP.[3] If such behavior where only confined to the health service that would be challenging enough, but sadly this attitude has become prevalent in relationships, recruitment and religious gatherings.

        Rick Martin, winner of the BBC TV Show ‘The Apprentice’ in 2012, recently stated that; ‘While many young people I recruit are dedicated and enthusiastic, their focus has changed.

‘However keen, they arrive at interview – if they turn up – asking what my company can do for them rather than what they can offer.’[4] The same article also reckons that a staggering ‘93 per cent of Generation Z job applicants said they had simply not turned up for an interview.’ 

Becoming a casualty of casual is no accident.

Dig deeper into this behavioral dilemma and sooner or later you will strike a vein of consumerism running throughout western society. All of which fuels an argument that says, turning up late or missing appointments is an attitude rooted in a me, mine and more culture. A consumerist lifestyle centers on doing what makes me feel comfortable with little thought as to how my actions make others feel. By adopting this kind of behavior we are basically stating that all of life’s events need first and foremost to fit my timetable, my schedule, my needs and my agenda.

      Sadly, society is reaping a harvest from those disruptive seeds sown decades ago. In the late 80’s an attitude of ‘Extreme Individualism’ was sown into the human psyche. Cascading down from governmental and financial institutions, these seeds produced a self-seeking independent attitude.  As shocking as it sounds when writing about this insipid behaviour Bill Bellah in his book ‘Habits of the Heart’[5] spoke of how people enter employment, marriage and church with one basic question: ‘What’s in it for me?’ Along with the emergence of a ‘Kingdom of Self’ and a consumeristic mindset, Christians and non-Christians alike have allowed themselves to be squeezed into a cultural paradigm that is not Godly.[6] In so doing we forget the words of C. S. Lewis that says,

‘If you want religion to make you feel really comfortable,

I certainly don’t recommend Christianity.’

Clash of Cultures

Having just completed a three-year writing project, I’m somewhat reticent to begin another. But if I was to author another publication its working title would be, casual god, with a subtitle: The Book No One Wants to Read. The term ‘casual god’ would of course be an oxymoron. And in order to combat this tongue-in-cheek title, I would offer a biblical view of the nature of the Judean Christian God. For the God of holy scriptures is portrayed as one who is intentional, rather than casual, in all He says and does. The pivotal point of the book would be for those who call themselves Christian to consider the fact that as ‘partakers of the divine nature,’[7] becoming a casualty of casual is to mirror an earthly rather than a heavenly way of doing things. For if ‘culture’ is: ‘the sum of attitudes, customs, and beliefs that distinguishes one group of people from another’, then surely a ‘casual’ attitude has no place in the affairs of heaven on earth.

       Christianity does not need the re-emergence of some form of legalism, whereby we are encouraged to put on a ‘Sunday Style’ in terms of our attitude and attire - it needs is a fresh baptism of biblical truth - a period of re-learning the true nature of God. For if the DNA of the divine is in us, then surely the desire to live intentionally rather than casually should come naturally. For only by adopting an intentional way of life will the sons and daughters of a loving heavenly Father truly mirror image the purposes of heaven on earth. So, maybe it’s time for 21^st Century Christianity to ask itself some hard questions, for instance …

• Does becoming a casualty of casual dishonor the person, passion and purpose of God? 

• Could my laid-back approach to all things spiritual, have a negative effect on others? 

• Is it possible that a casual attitude mirrors the old, rather than the new me?

• Is my modius-operandi to show up on time, be present in the moment and be ready and willing to contribute?

[1] 1 Corinthians 14:26, MSB

[2] Revelation 2:4, Paraphrased

[3] www.nhsconfed.org

[4] www.ccprecruitment.com/blog/Insight002

[5] Habits of the Heart, Robert Bellah, University of California Press, 1992.

[6] Romans 12:1-2, JBP

[7] 2 Peter 1:4