Christianity In The 19th Century Essay

Introduction

“It’s never one thing.” This expression is often used when people look back on faded dreams or lost opportunities. However, it can also be used when asked to attribute culpability for the decline of Protestantism and Catholicism in Europe. From the Church’s beginning in the book of Acts to the Protestant Reformation, the gospel message has been steadily advancing. Yet, even these ages would lead to the secularizing of society with the most notable event being Constantine’s declaration of a standardized form of Christianity in 313 A.D. From 1675, however, several motivating factors occurred throughout the centuries, which lead to the dechristianization of Europe. First, challenges to the Christian faith were stimulated during

In the eighteenth century, the pursuit of wisdom became nothing more than an exercise for the mind. Philosophers, without the Holy Spirit’s illumination, came no closer to understanding the existence of man through their enlightened minds than those who had come before them. In the nineteenth century, a person began to follow the systems of science. Darwin’s theory of evolution attempted to resolve the dilemma of a person’s existence. However, this belief only created a chasm between God and man and set in motion the cheapening of human life. In the twentieth century, humanity was no longer accountable to God for its origin. Consequently, people looked to themselves. Domineering world leaders, in a struggle for ultimate power, would begin WWI and WWII. As a result, the world would realize that the value placed on a human’s life was determined by a person’s own perception of decency. In the twenty-first century, people now determined that ethics are consequential, however, they are to be examined and judged by the results they yield. God, therefore, is not the agent of morality and cannot transcend ordinary experiences. Therefore, history has shown that when humanity has attempted to create a society where God is not worshipped and peace is dependent upon man, there is not only conflict but also, an ever -steady march in