I just watched the 2016 Scorsese film about the persecuted church of Japan in the 17th century. Historically, the number of Christians in Japan fell through direct, intensive violence. Many of the conversions had come through Portuguese Catholic missionaries who not only brought faith, but also emphasized Western practices, traditions and language that threatened the local culture and seemed tied to colonialism.
In the film and in the historical accounts, the missionaries and Japanese Christians suffered horrible tortures if they refused to deny their faith. It’s rough to watch. The silence in the title refers to what seems like God’s lack of response to the suffering of his believers. Ironically, the religious intolerance and subsequent persecution is shown as heroic and inspirational. Their struggle seems to strengthen their faith.
In contrast, I think about the steady decline of Western Christianity. Rather than a result of direct resistance, it seems like its failing is more related to its indulgences and dilution. Our version of Christianity has embraced and wedded itself to our culture. It’s hard to separate American Culture from American Christianity. Rather than practicing faith in its pure form, our worship has been married to individual and corporate pursuits of wealth, power and influence. Instead of seeing spiritual leaders laying down their lives for the followers, we see them building themselves up on influence, fame and wealth. Are we focused on getting everyone to heaven or building an independent, temporary paradise here on earth at the expense of our own souls and the neglect of the lost?
Additionally, our faith has also been factionalized by many splits within denominations over a variety of non-core theologies. We aren’t one from many, but many from one. Much of our energy is being wasted fighting each other. The most pushback to ministry is not from pagans and atheists, but other believers fighting over whose version is best.
One of the lessons we can learn, is to keep the faith in our Faith. We spend so much time drawing lines around particular rules and rewriting definitions that we can lose the awe and wonder of God. Has he gone silent, or have we drown out his voice in the cacophony of our own?
