The prevailing political and cultural elites in America are succeeding, steadily and surely, in plunging our society into a post- Christian vortex that bears a striking resemblance in many ways to the formative centuries of the ancient Church. Faithful early Christians had to endure an inhospitable culture and a decadent ethos, as well as a hostile state.<\/p>\n

America is arguably at the mercy of militant secular progressives hell- bent on subverting the cherished moral virtues of life, family, chastity, work, responsibility, and piety. Reaping an unprecedented harvest of more than 55 million legally aborted babies since 1973, our society is drowning in a sea of idolatrous self-worship, pursuing its own modern version of \u201cbread and circuses\u201d through increasingly violent and vulgar forms of entertainment and self- expression, a permanent welfare state from cradle to grave, unrestricted sex, artificially constructed sexual identities, and a push for publicly sanctioned \u201cmarriages\u201d between persons of the same sex\u2014a contra naturam abomination that even ancient Rome at its worst moments never imagined.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n

It’s a penetrating essay that reflects the seriousness with which prominent Orthodox thinkers and commentators are addressing our cultural decline. The drink deeply from the well of the Orthodox Tradition, particularly anthropology. Many of the cultural conflicts — feminism, confusion about the value of unborn life, sexual-identity construction, homosexuality — are anthropological in character. All these movements, debates, and conflicts ask a single question: What does is mean to be human; what is male and what is female?<\/p>\n

These conflicts call for what Fr. Webster defines as a “transfigurative moral witness.” We need “bishops with muscle” and men not afraid to speak the truth. <\/p>\n

Unfortunately we cannot reproduce the entire article except for the first two paragraphs although they are compelling and should encourage you to subscribe to Touchstone Magazine so you can read the entire essay. The only other option is to wait until after June, 2015 when the essay will be archived and open to the public. <\/p>\n

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