An argument could be made that even among those who saw themselves as too smart or too well-educated to need religion did not abandon religion but simply switched from the God of traditional religions to the gods of technology, education, pleasure, science, and progress. Of course, they would demur. That does not make this suggestion wrong but it simply affirms the fact that those who worked hard to rid themselves of religion were not going to quickly admit that they had merely switched allegiance and were still dependent upon some form of deity.
Across Europe as well as in the US, there is a resurgence of religion and, particularly, orthodox Christianity, among the young, males, and even the educated. It could be said that even among the most secular of Western nations and societies, there is the surprising renewal of faith among a people who had long thought to have been post-Christian. There is hope, at least, that the light has not completely been extinguished. Young people and especially young men are showing up more and more in congregations of conservative, orthodox, Christian congregations. This is not an anecdotal reality but something which has been documented in poll and survey.
What does this mean? That is, after all, the Lutheran question. While I would like to admit that it is due to the vibrant and profound Christian witness proceeding from the Church and the effect of the witness of the Christian life among the people of God, there is another cause. All the hope and euphoria once associated with science, technology, and progress have been dashed of late as well. The struggles of life in Covid and afterwards cannot be minimized. The loneliness that our digital connections has fed more than satisfied is another factor. The uncertainty of the cost versus benefit of AI (artificial intelligence) must not be written off. The demise of the global world and of a world marketplace to satisfy and improve the lot of all people is no longer universally held. Education has become a niche market with degrees that do not translate into jobs or richer lives and this has contributed to the desire for something more than what universities offer of the human dream.
We may not have contributed to the demise of the things that were once a solid wall keeping religion out of the public square but we can surely capitalize on the desire for something more than what progress failed to fulfill. If that is the case, we will need to be better catechized and offer the world a compelling reality and not simply an idea. Christian communities along with the Christian witness are needed. Nobody is making headway into once secular haunts of the world by presenting a watered down version of Christianity or the God who lives only in an idea. The world is looking not simply for the transcendent but also for the means to connect with the transcendent. It is looking for Biblical preaching, music that serves the Word, and sacramental worship in which the mystery of God is heralded more than explained away. The world is looking for not simply a private faith but a worldview that defines and determines how a person fits into the world. It is not looking for an echo chamber for the latest idea or trend but for the faith of the ages, the truth that endures forever, and the worship service that transcends time and reality with the Divine. The world will not be convinced by Sunday Christians who leave their faith at the door when they make their way back home anymore than it will be challenged by a digital reality that lives only on the screens. It will not be transformed by threat or compelled by fear but will be given pause by the power of love that speaks the truth and attempts to live by it in thought, word, and deed. I wish I could say that we Christians have given the world such a profound witness that we are being given a second look but I am fairly certain that it is the breakdown of the world and its vaunted institutions that has caused them to give Christianity a second look. Let us not disappoint them.
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Revivals are a good thing when they result in a resurge in Christian orthodoxy among the inhabitants of society, as more lost people come to faith in Christ. But as I look at the American political and social landscape today, I am more convinced that the social fabric is now being decisively torn apart, and many people are unprepared for what is coming. History warns us that the past provides insights we so easily dismiss or forget. Whether we like it or not, the United States is at a crucial crossroad. Look at Minneapolis! What did you see? Lawlessness, insurrection, hatred of our Democratic process! Observe the agenda of the godless Left leaning, anti-religious programs of the Democratic Party. The undermining of the Constitution is their approach, even while they falsely claim they are defending it. Their focus has always been mainly on first winning power over the cities, not rural America, because power flows from the cities to Washington, and control of the rural areas is easily accomplished once the cities are politically in line. If you think I am going to get conspiratorial, or wander away from the theme of this article on revival, be patient. I will tie it together. To repeat this point! Looking back in time, remember that communism historically begins in the cities. By taking over media and institutions, inciting unrest, training activists, and lying to the most gullible, communism grows steadily and gains momentum. It is particularly effective in motivating the youth. Intimidation and slogans are useful tools to gain support from people prone to be ruled by emotions rather than truth. The Democrats have embraced the Left, and socialism, and are building a draconian communist style system for our country that will change the Republic forever. We know that this party regards the life of the unborn without mercy. They do not believe a woman has the right to safe places, free of deluded men who merely think they are women. They are more lenient with criminality in society, support open borders, and illegal aliens, but will persecute political opponents to the fullest extent. And the church? The church is of particular disdain to the Left. If we follow the historical record of socialism and communism, the result is forced secularization, as the individual is subject to the state, the suppression of religious education, forfeiture of church property, all proselytizing and evangelizing are forbidden, and eventual persecution of religious leaders and even ordinary clergy are carried out. I do not want to be so impertinent as to predict the future, which is in God’s hands, but we certainly must read the tea leaves of our time, observe what is spoken by the politicians who have shown us their values, and look at the cities. Look and digest what realities you see today. When or if communism gains a sure foothold in America, it will start in the cities. If there is to be a Christian revival, it must begin soon. Soli Deo Gloria
PM: “Young people and especially young men are showing up more and more in congregations of conservative, orthodox, Christian congregations.”
Coincidentally, in the 2025 Lutheran Youth Poll (LYP) (https://www.youthesource.com/2026/01/2025-lutheran-youth-and-adult-leader-poll-executive-summary/) the table, “Items Across the Poll with a Notable Gender Divide”, shows a significant difference between male and female views, especially on issues that also are politically relevant.
This difference has become more noticeable in recent years, as discussed by Joel Kotlin in his February 11, 2026, Telegraph article, “Why are young white women so angry? (https://www.telegraph.co.uk/gift/c3ac684e75c032fc):
“Young women’s radicalisation may stem in part from the fact they are now far more likely to go to such indoctrination mills. Today, 47pc of women in the US have college degrees, compared to just 37pc of men – a 10-point gap that has widened dramatically. Research published in 2024 showed 2.4 million more female than male undergraduates enrolled in American colleges (8.9 million vs 6.5 million), and in 2021, men received only 42pc of bachelor’s degrees – the lowest share on record.
“This indoctrination is most common in the humanities and social sciences, departments that also tend to be more female….
“Young women are considerably more Left-leaning than men or married women. Among Americans ages 18–29, 52pc of women identify as Democrats compared with 35pc of men, while 38pc of young men lean Republican – nearly twice the share of young women.”
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