Rebuilding trust in uncertain times Part 1 – John Lennox
Written on behalf of Professor John Lennox, President of the OCCA The Oxford Centre for Christian Apologetics.
The Historical Pillars of Western Success
We live in what many describe as uncertain times. This uncertainty is often linked to speculation about the future – questions about technology, politics and global stability. I would argue that before we can understand where we are going, we must understand what has shaped where we are.
Has the West Lost its Moral Compass.
Two secular writers, Richard Koch and Chris Smith (who was Tony Blair’s secretary of State for Culture and Media), state in their book, The Suicide of the West,
“There’s been a collapse of Western self-confidence that has little to do with enemies and everything to do with seismic shifts in ideas and attitudes.”[1]
Now, as a secular piece of writing, the interesting thing about it is the way in which they analyse the success of the West up to the point at which they are writing. The success of the West, they write, was due to six principal ideas:
- Christianity
- Optimism
- Science
- Economic growth
- Liberalism
- Individualism
Yet these same ideas, they argue, have been under sustained attack for over a century. And now, where cynicism, pessimism and carelessness abound, a drift towards collective suicide is evident. Societies, like individuals begin to collapse when they lose trust – when they no longer believe in anything solid enough to sustain them.
Christianity’s Foundational Role in Western Civilisation
What is particularly fascinating is how these secular thinkers assess Christianity. They say that Christianity comprised one overarching belief and four practical action implications. The overarching belief was that God became man, lived, suffered, died, and rejoined the divine realm. This wonderful news, according to them, moved humankind and God together. And then that is followed by four action implications.
What was the result of this central message?
- A massive elevation of individual personal development and responsibility.
- The power behind self-improvement.
- The startling implication that all believers could tap directly into God’s love.
- They noticed an unprecedented commitment to the poor, the dispossessed, and the marginalised.
- And finally, a burning sense that conversion to Christianity made the difference between eternal happiness and, as they put it, eternal torture, although they said that they were quite unhappy with that latter phrase.
Now, they misunderstand certain theological details, as one might expect, but their conclusion is that from these observations, Christianity became the first and most successful missionary religion. That analysis by able secular writers should cause us to think and encourage us. Because if other people can see that, then the challenge to you and to me is, how can we present this message so that people observe these things?
The Value of the Human Person
A helpful test is this: What value does your worldview place on a human being?
Christianity offers a uniquely high view -it gives a double valuation to human beings. First, it teaches that every human being, whatever they believe, is made in the image of God.
Perhaps we don’t think of that often enough. The heavens show God’s glory, but they weren’t made in his image. You were. Which implies that you are more important than a galaxy. You as a human being, are made in God’s image.
But there’s a second valuation, and that is the fact that Christ died for us. The argument of John’s gospel that Jesus is God culminates in the fact that this one, the man who is God, gave his life for each one of us. And that sense of value is something that we cannot measure. When I encounter a new worldview, which of course is rare these days, I’ve lived too long, I always ask this question: what is the value of a human being in your culture or your worldview?
It’s a very important point to be able to put to people.
What Went Wrong? The Rise of Secularism
But what has gone wrong? If Christianity played such a central role, what happened?
A commonly told story traces a shift through key historical figures:
- Copernicus displaced the earth from the centre of creation
- In the 17th Century, Isaac Newton was interpreted (incorrectly) as reducing God to a distant clockmaker
- Charles Darwin removed the special status of humans as made in the image of God, and demoted them in the eyes of many people, to animals made by unguided natural processes.
- Friedrich Nietzsche declared the ‘death of God’
The narrative suggests that science gradually pushed God out of the picture. However, this is a distortion. Many pioneers of science were motivated by a desire to understand God’s creation, not eliminate Him.
Cultural Shifts and the Rise of New Forms of Control
Cultural commentator, Melanie Phillips in her book, The World Turned Upside Down, argues that modern Western societies have replaced older forms of authority with new ones:
“…the French Revolution and the terror unleashed by it presented the inescapable evidence that the Enlightenment, far from consigning murderous obscurantism to the dustbin of history, contained powerful strands from the start that would merely secularize tyranny. Now, with communism and fascism both defeated, the West has fallen victim to a third variation on the theme of totalitarianism: not religious or political this time, but cultural.”[2]
This ‘cultural totalitarianism’ is not a shift enforced by religion or politics, but by social pressure. Instead of physical punishment, dissent is often met with exclusion, ridicule or professional consequences.
This creates a paradox. While modern societies pride themselves on freedom, certain views – particularly religious ones – are increasingly marginalised.
From an Age of Faith to an Age of Doubt
And that brings us right to the modern climate of uncertainty.
As the poet Robert Browning said, “we have moved from an age of faith, diversified by doubt to an age of doubt, diversified by faith”.[3]
In practical terms, this means that belief in God is no longer the default. Christianity is increasingly marginalised with atheism becoming the preferred belief system for many people in Europe.
Institutions that once acknowledged Christianity’s influence now frequently avoid any reference to God. This has contributed to a growing sense of disconnection and uncertainty.
Writers like Douglas Murray argue that the West is now engaged in a kind of internal critique that can become self-destructive. In his book, The War on the West, he suggests:
“the critics of Western civilisation venerate every culture so long as it’s not Western.”[4]
The West is currently assailed by its own academics, teaching that its own history is one of unmitigated oppression for which it must repent. Oppression that was aided by religion, Christianity in particular. We live in a part of the world that’s tearing itself apart, and we’re called to be salt and light to reverse this trend.
If you want to read an expanded treatise on the effect of atheism, it’s worthwhile having a look at the Black Book of Communism.[5] There are powerful voices still following in the wake of the new atheists like Richard Dawkins attempting to marginalise any public profession of religion, especially Christianity. And that’s coming strongly from the West. They do it in the name of science, aided by the Humanist Manifesto, which insists that religion must not have any impact on society as a whole – politics, economics, education, morality or any other aspect of public life.
So, the implication is you must not do God in public. You keep quiet if you want to believe in God. Do it quietly please, and private, but don’t do it in public. But it also leads to the totally erroneous idea that religion, specifically Christianity, has nothing to do with facts, only with opinions, and therefore must be actively opposed as an irrational illusion, if not a delusion.
Signs of Pushback and Renewal
However, I’m glad to say there is pushback against this at a high level. Figures like Ayaan Hirsi Ali have publicly moved from atheism to Christian belief. Where once she stood with Richard Dawkins leading the New Atheist charge, she now sits on the other side of the debate stating that it is atheism that has nothing to offer.
Similarly, Tom Holland has argued that many modern values, such as human rights and equality, are deeply rooted in Christian thought, even if people are unaware of it. He thought for a long time that the values we cherish in the West all came from Greece and Rome. Listen though, to his verdict on the New Testament:
“Compacted into this very, very small amount of writing is almost everything that explains the modern world and the way the West has then moved on to shape concepts like international law, concepts of human rights, all these kinds of things. Ultimately, they don’t go back to Greek philosophers or Roman imperialism. They go back to Paul. His letters, I think, along with the four Gospels, are the most influential, the most impactful, the most revolutionary writings that have emerged from the ancient world.”[6]
That’s a pretty strong statement from someone who’s moving from atheism towards Christianity. But what’s the heart of those writings? It’s the cross.
The Call to Engage: Witnessing with Confidence
Despite the challenges, there is reason for hope.
Christianity began with a very small group of people in a pluralistic and often hostile environment. Yet its message transformed the world. The early Christians believed that the truth they carried had the power to change lives, and history showed that it did.
We find ourselves in a similar position today. The context may be different, but the opportunity remains.
So, what are Christians called to do?
Paul in his letters told us why he wasn’t ashamed of the gospel. Peter however, demonstrated fear. He denied the Lord, and every Christian who’s ever existed since then knows that Peter was scared. That’s quite a reputation to have. I bet many of you don’t want other people to know that you’re scared. But we’re all scared at some level or other.
Here’s what Peter writes. He doesn’t say have no fear of being mocked or persecuted or keep your head down. What he says is:
“Don’t be troubled, but in your hearts, honour Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect, having a good conscience, so that, when you are slandered, those who revile your good behaviour in Christ may be put to shame.”[7]
Notice it says ‘when’ you are slandered, not ‘if’. Sharing the Gospel has not been promised to be easy. We are to expect push-back, argument and slander.
This passage from 1 Peter involves several key principles:
Prioritising Christ
The foundation is not intellectual argument, but a personal commitment to Christ. Confidence flows from knowing Him. The secret of witnessing to Christ is not how many books on apologetics we have read, it’s honouring Christ as holy, which means setting him apart in the chief position as our Lord. Our most sacred value is Christ.
Engaging Through Conversation
Witnessing is not about preaching, but about conversation. I remember being struck by that many, many years ago because I thought in my cheek in those days of unwisdom and immaturity that I could answer lots of questions, but nobody was asking me. I mean, when was the last time anybody asked you for a reason about the hope that is within you?
You can’t wait for somebody to come to you. Go and have conversations, build relationships. The best way to get to know someone – who they are, what they think and where their hope lies – is to ask questions.
Asking Questions
Simple, genuine questions, about life, hope and meaning can be the beginning of deep and wonderful conversations. And of course, if you ask questions, you need to listen too. What are the questions behind their questions? This will help you get to the crux of a person’s objections or their acceptance of God.
Admitting Limitations
What happens if you can’t answer a question? That’s what many of us fear.
I don’t fear. Do you know why? Because I can always say I don’t know.
“I’ve never heard that question before, would you mind if I took a week to think about it? We’ll meet next week for coffee.”
That has a colossal effect that you wouldn’t believe. First of all, the person now realises that Christians aren’t claiming to know everything. Secondly, it demonstrates that you take their questions seriously enough to think about an answer to it, and you’re interested in them enough to meet them again. In fact, this can build trust and create opportunities for further discussion.
Conclusion: Rebuilding Trust
Rebuilding trust in uncertain times begins with rediscovering what is true and enduring.
Christianity offers a vision of human dignity, purpose and hope that remains as powerful now as it has ever been. The task before us is to live in the light of this hope and to share it with others, doing so with gentleness, grace and respect.
References
- Richard Koch and Chris Smith, The Suicide of the West, Continuum, 2006
- Melanie Phillips, The World Turned Upside Down: The Global Battle of God, Truth and Power, Encounter Books, 2010
- Robert Browning, Bishop Blougram’s Apology, 1855
- Douglas Murray, The War on the West: How to Prevail in the Age of Unreason, Harper Collins, 2022
- Stéphane Courtouis et al., The Black Book of Communism, Éditions Robert Laffont, 1997
- Tom Holland, Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World, Basic Books, 2019
- 1 Peter 3:15-16 ESV
Thank you for reading. If you would like to take your understanding further, download our free sample apologetics courses here.
John Lennox