University of South Carolina Libraries
V ShiHfr itL iJi. j 20—THE CHRONICLE. Clinton, S. C M May 30, 1968 FAITH IN FOCUS The Secularization Of Christianity 4L T’ GRADUATES — Mary C ornwall . daughter of Mrs J. J Cornwall and the late Mr. Cum- wall, received an A.B. degree n elementary educafi-.-r from. Coker ( o.. e g e at graduati-n exercise.- htdd mur.dav. Mav 26, m. Maryville Mountville News a: a vi ;• ri".:5ter uas a \:5.: r r.ville '' - V' -iHc - .-c ' Viiifo--' 5 i N!:a. 5. r^rs i ;:r Vr a-IMrs. r r" r i r., i i ir. r j tt - t r'^LTid- Mr. N! tes returned w . me uri'-ia;. fr.rr. Baftst C Here la C^rlest r.. N!as; Z'.iz^V- ] nes and Mr. L ? Adams attended Alumni La> dt Erskine C Here in Due West Saturday. Rev and Mrs. Hartzell were Sunda;. dinner ruests f Mr. and Mrs. Lucius Burns. Mr. Hart- zell is supplying at Lhe Baptist Church here. Mr. and Mrs. S. A. Crisp Jr. ■f Salftfiurg.T C.,"Mr. and Mrs. Jake Hjrr.;right ^nd .\!rs. 5. A. Crisp f Gr ver, N.C. spentSun- day *:th Mr. and Mrs. L R. A^rr.s and Miss Zelle Crisp. Air. and Mrs. H ward Byars Chariest n spent thie weekend with Mr. dnd Mrs. L. I Watts. I tie pearly razorfish exhibited dtjManneland of Florida may be %Bri burrowing under the sand whenever it is threatened or pre- ffffcng to sleep. BY LEWIS S. HAY Professor :f Religion Presbyterian C liege A prominent feature f the current religious scene is a movement known as the secular ization of Christianity. Because its influence is s-. *uje spread the movement is :f considerable importance to any ne interested in Lhe Christian faitL Space will not permit a th.rough discussic* f the movement here, but per- naps a few .> servad .ms will help the reader t understand better what the matter is all about Ir. the first place, the very term * secularirati n’ has often pr'ved t be a source f serious misunderstanding, since it is so easily : nfused secularism. The two, however, are vastly dif ferent. Secularism na;. be de fined as that viev-p in: »hich rejects all religious faith and all religious values it invites •ne t view the w.rld fr m a perspective «hich has no place f:r faith :r C>i Secularizatiin, as we shall see, is precisely the pposite, it springs from the in sight that thincs which seem t be secular--that is, div reed fr rr. God--are at bottom ojuite sacred. It affirms that net merely these things which we consider reli gious r specific all) Christian, are under the L rdship f C- d, but all Lhunrs are subject t Him Regrettably, m st f us have fallen mt the err r of mentally dividing ur world into tw realms: Lhe sacred r religious, and Lhe secular r profane. And we are inclined to he have as though G d is interested in, and L rd ver, only Lhe former. W> are apparently quite nulling tc acknowledge Lhat He has claim ver ne day ut f ur week, but Lhe ther six are secular-- i, e., they belong to us. We are willing t relinguish to God a small percentage of our income, but the rest is not His. Wp un derstand His interest in, andtbus Lhe sacredness f, such things as the Bible, the church, the wor ship service, ur prayers and creeds, but matters of politics, or business, or social problems, or race relations, or inter national affairs we regard as be- yood His concern. In contrast t Lhisview f urs, Lhe Bible sees the entire world as Lhe bject f G d’s active con cern. The first chapter .f Gen esis calls upcm us C understand everything Lhat exists as brought mt. ieing by God Lhe Creator. M re ver, Lhe Old Testament La'* * -old never permit the Is raelite to divide his world into Lhe sacred and secular; rather, every aspect f his life was made subject to divine regulation. A- m mg the commandments were not nly stipulations aboutSab- baLh. sanctuary, and sacrifice, tut also rules t g vern his family- life, his business, and his poli tics. The same all-encompassing demand of the Law is emphasized also by Lhe pr >phets. Especially Amos, Isaiah, and Jeremiah found it necessary n brmg a sharp message f judgment tc a people who were claimingt: worship God through all Lhe prescribed rituals, but were refusing to y^eild tc His demands in the areas which we might have called their ‘se cular’ affairs. S , for example, Isaiah cries ut for God ‘Bring no more vain fferings; incense is an ab-mination tc me. New moon and sabbaLh and the calling of assemblies--! cannot endure iniquity and solemn assembly . . cease to do evil, learn to do good; seek justice, correct oppres sion.’ Isaiah l:13ff.' The seculanration movement m Christianity, therefore, insists that our usual distinct}or. between the sacred and Lhe secular is unjustified. For not mlv is such a distinction a dist rtior. f the Biblical p.mt f view, but it also allows us to rule God ut f our everyday affairs, and rele gate Him safely to a remote oor- ner f ur lives where H.s de mands won't get in Lhe way f our own selfish pursuits. The seculariratioc movement, then, is using Lhe term * secular* in its original classical sense-- L e., t; denote a ministry t the world in contrast to Lhe muustrv f private prayer and devotion, as in a m nasterv r coment A secularized Chmist- ianity at its lest would Lhus bo t Christianity which is concerned about Lhers mstead f with it self. a ChJistianity which is will ing t. move out of its sheltered sanctiiaries and mt: Lhe Lhor- JBghfares where ‘uman life is acteallv being lived out. It w,>uld demand f us what Jesus demanded f Lhe religious people f His day. ‘G and learn what this means. I desire mercy, and not sacrifice’ Matt BIS . ARP Synod Meeting Set ^Next Week ★★★★★★★★★ 4 T»- fficial delegates from Providence A. R. P Church in Clinton will attend Lhe General Meeting f Synod next week at Bonclarken, N.C.. the A. R. Pres byterian Church’s summer meet ing grounds near Hendersonville. The Rev. Zeb Williams will go, as will James ? SI ian, elder. Others wb. expect to visit the Synod during the week ^re George T C ope land as alternate dele gate, Hr. and Mrs C. Bynum Betts and Lr. and Mrs. N Ion Carter. The General Syn.d, which meets annually, is Lhe governing body of Lhe church and deals with all policy-making and planning for all member churches oi the den minati m. This 1966 meeting will be the 164th. assembly since the organizational meeting was held in the Old Brick Church, Fairfield C untv, South Carolina, in 1803. LEONARD-MARLER INSURANCE AGENCY Phone *3.3-1121 200 N. Broad Consult Us For All Your Insurance Needs • Life • Accident • Health • Hospital THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK: • Homeownr- • Auto • Business • Bonds * The Christian roots his life in God and finds sustenance in Him. ELECT RICHARD I. TOWNSEND House of Representatives—Laurens County If You Believe In... Economy in Government County-Wide Water System Tax Money for benefit of All Taxpayers. Information on how your Tax Money is Spent Avoiding Conflicts of interest in Your Government. Technical Education for our citizens. To Assure Your Tax Money Is Spent Economically And Efficiency for the Benefit of All Tax-Payers! Yes! We Hove... Winners! Hundreds of Others Aren't Shown! $ 1, *2/5, *20 Winners Stamp Winners PLAY BINGO ODD! BINGO EVEN! • • • •