INTRODUCTION: THE CRISIS OF CHRISTIAN CULTURE
Culture is the fruit of the beliefs, values, and principles that sustain a society. Since the early centuries, Christian culture has been the pillar upon which Western civilization has been built, guiding souls toward their ultimate end: union with God. However, in recent times, we have witnessed an accelerated decline in these fundamental values, leading to what can be called the “death of Christian culture.” This cultural death is not merely a symbolic phenomenon but a tangible reality that manifests in the dissolution of the Christian principles that once guided social, political, and personal life.
This process of cultural decay must be understood in light of human nature and its orientation toward the ultimate good. According to classical teaching, every being has a final end to which it must be directed in order to fully realize its nature. In the case of Christian culture, its purpose is to glorify God and lead souls to sanctification through truth, goodness, and beauty. When culture deviates from this end, corruption and decay are inevitable, leading to its eventual death.
CAUSES OF THE DEATH OF CHRISTIAN CULTURE
Modernism, which has infiltrated both society and the Church, is one of the main causes of the decline of Christian culture. Modernism is characterized by its rejection of absolute truth and its embrace of relativism, where each individual becomes the measure of truth, disregarding the divine and natural law that should govern human life. This rejection of truth has caused modern culture to lose its direction, moving away from its Christian foundation and adopting ideologies that deny the existence of a transcendent common good.
The most evident consequence of this rejection of truth is the fragmentation of culture. Without an objective truth to guide human actions, culture disintegrates into a collection of individual opinions and preferences, with no clear direction toward the common good. This has led to the glorification of ugliness, vulgarity, and immorality, reflecting a distorted view of reality that does not elevate the soul toward God but rather plunges it into materialism and nihilism.
Another cause of the death of Christian culture is the abandonment of morality based on natural law. Natural law, which is the participation of eternal law in the rational creature, provides the objective norms for human behavior. By rejecting this law, modern culture has fallen into subjective moralism, where good and evil are defined by social consensus or personal inclinations, rather than being recognized as objective realities. This rejection of objective morality has led to the corruption of customs, the destruction of the family, and chaos in social life.
Finally, the attack on traditional liturgy and the secularization of sacramental life have significantly contributed to the death of Christian culture. The liturgy, especially the Traditional Mass, is the highest expression of faith and the primary way in which Christian culture is manifested and transmitted. The liturgical reform and the loss of the sense of the sacred in the liturgy have stripped culture of its spiritual core, weakening faith and disconnecting younger generations from their Christian heritage.
EFFECTS OF THE DEATH OF CHRISTIAN CULTURE
The death of Christian culture has had devastating effects on all aspects of human life. First, it has led to the dehumanization of society. Without a Christian vision that recognizes the intrinsic dignity of each person as the image of God, society has begun to treat human beings as a means to an end, valuing people only in terms of their utility or consumption capacity. This is reflected in practices such as abortion, euthanasia, and genetic manipulation, where human life is instrumentalized and stripped of its sacredness.
Moreover, the loss of Christian culture has led to the fragmentation of society. Without a common good that unites people in the pursuit of transcendent goals, society has become increasingly individualistic and divided. This has resulted in an increase in violence, hatred, and polarization, as people no longer see in others a brother in Christ, but a competitor or enemy.
Finally, the death of Christian culture has led to an unprecedented crisis of faith. Without the culture that supports and nurtures faith, many have fallen into disbelief, skepticism, or religious syncretism. Apostasy has spread, and many have abandoned the practice of faith, depriving their souls of the means necessary to attain salvation.
THE RESTORATION OF CHRISTIAN CULTURE: A NECESSARY RESPONSE
In the face of this bleak outlook, it is imperative to work for the restoration of Christian culture. This restoration must begin with a return to truth, goodness, and beauty, which are reflections of God and the pillars upon which culture must be rebuilt. Education, family life, and traditional liturgy are the primary means by which this restoration can be accomplished.
First, it is necessary to restore education in its full sense, as the formation of the soul in truth. This involves not only the study of the sciences and humanities but also the teaching of Catholic doctrine in its purity and totality, free from the contaminations of modernism and relativism. Education must once again form minds and hearts capable of recognizing the truth and living according to it.
Secondly, it is necessary to restore family life as the sanctuary where Christian virtues are transmitted, and faith is lived in community. The family must be the place where children learn to love God and their neighbor, to respect natural law, and to live in conformity with the divine commandments.
Finally, it is crucial to restore the traditional liturgy as the source and summit of Christian life. The liturgy, lived in its full reverence and sacredness, is the means by which God’s grace is poured out upon the faithful and upon culture as a whole, sanctifying souls and orienting them toward their ultimate end.
CONCLUSION: A CALL TO ACTION
The death of Christian culture is a reality that cannot be ignored, and its effects are felt in all aspects of life. However, the solution does not lie in pessimism or despair, but in a renewed effort to restore culture to its true foundation: faith in God and adherence to His law. This restoration requires a total commitment to truth, goodness, and beauty, and a firm rejection of everything that contradicts them.
The restoration of Christian culture is an urgent and necessary task for the salvation of souls and the glorification of God. Every Christian has a duty to contribute to this restoration, beginning with their own life and extending to their family, community, and society in general. Only through a return to the immutable principles of faith and Christian morality can we revive a culture that reflects the glory of God and leads souls to their eternal destiny.
BIBLIOGRAPHY
• St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologiae.
• Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange, Perfection chrétienne et contemplation.
• Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange, La vie spirituelle.
• Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange, Le sens commun: La philosophie de l’être et les formules dogmatiques.
• Réginald Garrigou-Lagrange, Les trois âges de la vie intérieure.
• Danilo Castellano, La soberanía y la subsidiaridad.
• Antonio Royo Marín, Teología de la perfección cristiana.
Posts
