Sociological ‘Religion’ Versus Christianity

Mr. Paul Williams has, in the August 6 issue of NR, delivered himself of a strange set of assertions. His essay, with its title “The Severed Roots of American Christianity” and its opening Introibo ad altare Dei, seems to promise an inquiry into why faith in Christ is apparently declining in the United States. By the time it ends, however, we have waded through several sociological paragraphs interspersed with liturgical misrepresentations, and only a hint of authentic theology. He leaves the reader puzzling over which upsets him more: the erosion of Christianity a) as an American’s only effective clue to his sociological niche or b) as a religion.

Mr. Williams’ initial lament for the Tridentine liturgy gives way to a justifiably distressed look at the dip that polls tell us has occurred in Catholic and Protestant attendance at Sunday worship. “Something terrible has happened. The Christian in America, among the ruins of his religion, knows it.” But he cannot say exactly what “it” is. Mr. Williams undertakes to enlighten him.

JL

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John J. Lynch

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Mr. Paul Williams has, in the August 6 issue of NR, delivered himself of a strange set of assertions. His essay, with its title “The Severed Roots of American Christianity” and its opening Introibo ad altare Dei, seems to promise an inquiry into why faith in Christ is apparently declining in the United States. By the time it ends, however, we have waded through several sociological paragraphs interspersed with liturgical misrepresentations, and only a hint of authentic theology. He leaves the reader puzzling over which upsets him more: the erosion of Christianity a) as an American’s only effective clue to his sociological niche or b) as a religion.

Mr. Williams’ initial lament for the Tridentine liturgy gives way to a justifiably distressed look at the dip that polls tell us has occurred in Catholic and Protestant attendance at Sunday worship. “Something terrible has happened. The Christian in America, among the ruins of his religion, knows it.” But he cannot say exactly what “it” is. Mr. Williams undertakes to enlighten him.