Religion: The Unreal Revival

Is the U.S. religious revival “real”? What caused it? Is it “leading to the betterment of individual lives”? When the National Council of Churches’ monthly Outlook put these questions to 34 top religious leaders and laymen, they found the laymen generally optimistic and the professionals generally skeptical. Some of the more notable headshakings:

¶ Dr. Eugene Carson Blake, Stated Clerk of the Presbyterian Church in the U.S.A. and president of the National Council of Churches: “The old question ‘Can I believe?’ has given way to the new, ‘What shall I believe in?’ … There is a danger, however, that many may be coming into the church in search of security, survival and peace. Good as these values are, they become evil when they are … made into objects of man’s ultimate concern.”

¶ Dr. J. W. Behnken, president of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod: “I do not believe that there are at the moment many deep religious convictions among these seekers.”

¶ Dr. Billy Graham, evangelist: “There is no doubt that we are experiencing the great religious renaissance in American history. However, there seems to be little evidence of increased personal morality . .. To become a church member in America is easy, too easy! … It must be remembered, though, that in the Wesleyan Revival of the 18th century there was a time lag of nearly a quarter of a century between the preaching . . . and the impact on the social life of Britain.”

¶ Dr. Listen Pope, dean of Yale Divinity School: “There is no great religious revival in America, and probably will not be in the accepted sense . . . But there is a great revival of interest . . . Religion has a better hearing, and less open opposition . . . [But] the extension of church membership . . . should not be allowed to obscure the present state of the world . . . At this time of the greatest need, the influence of religion on human affairs appears to be indirect, and, all told, rather minimal.”