Journal: Conservative Theological Journal
Volume: CTJ 02:6 (Sep 1998)
Article: May Evangelicals Heed The Warning!
Author: Mal Couch

CTJ 2:6 (September 1998) p. 223

May Evangelicals Heed The Warning!

Mal Couch, Editor

The Wall Street Journal recently published (April 24, ‘98) an incredibly incisive article from English author Digby Anderson entitled “The Sentimental Society.” What he had to say was incredible in terms of its insights into Western civilization and our Christianity. As well, in my own mind, it spoke volumes as to what is happening presently to the larger Evangelical world. Below is part of what Anderson wrote:

In general, we are driven by sentimentalism. Sentimentalism canonized Princess Diana at the time of her funeral. Feelings were elevated above reason and restraint. President Clinton uses focus groups to decide how a new policy will “feel” not whether it is a good policy or not.

There is a word to describe this emphasis on appearance and feeling, on affect rather than effect; it is sentimentality. Sentimentality is not just feeling, however. It is false feelings, feelings without commitment, feelings displayed for show.

The sentimentalist regards children as innocents, offers them opportunities to “fulfill” themselves, indulges them in play, and is never judgmental. Again sentimentality runs away from reality, the reality of children’s nature, which has a capacity for evil and needs judgment and discipline.

In medicine we spurn doctors’ verdicts we do not like. Instead of taking with fortitude bad news about some disease we have caught, we rush after the witch doctors of alternative medicine, hoping one of them will give us a diagnosis more in keeping with our fantasies of how things should be.

In theology, we also adjust our view of God to a human image we feel comfortable with. He is not to be judgmental or set moral standards. He is not to be described by immutable doctrines of truth but to be infinitely and variably malleable into our own image. His job, we must remind Him, is to be supportive of us. And when religion is emptied of doctrine, tradition and discipline, all that remains is cozy feeling.

If sentimentality creates a fake world with fake churches containing no religion and fake schools containing no education, then no wonder our politicians produce fake policies.

Does this tide of sentimentality matter? Yes, because it is essentially escaptist. It involves the substitution of appearance for reality, of wishes for facts, of self-indulgence for restraint, and of victimhood for personal responsibility. It is not just conservatives who should fear sentimentality. Anyone who values reason and civilization should be alarmed.

Is not this something like the apostle Paul warned us of in I Corinthians 7