This post is for my Christian friends.  If you are not a follower of Christ, you may not be particularly interested in this discussion.  I also have a largely North American reference here, so if you are a global reader this may not be of equal interest to you.

For the past several years, a veritable cornucopia of prognosticators have declared that we are in “post-Christian” America (see for example this Newsweek article from Al Mohler on post Christian America.

I personally have not only participated in the conversation, but have often in recent years been increasingly using the Babylonian exile as a parallel; some have even called for a form of new and/or modified retreat.  Most notably, Rod Dreher in The Benedict Option suggests a number of strategies of engagement and disengagement with modern society in order to prepare for the inevitable societal destruction that is here and coming.

I have personally, and friends and leaders I respect, have called for Daniels, Esthers, and Nehemiahs, to mobilize and stand firm during this season.  I do not distrust the motives, leadership, or heartbeat of any of those leaders I know and those I do not who have used these phrases and frameworks in the context of our troubled world these days.  I have been comforted, encouraged and exhorted by the courageous example of these Biblical saints and by the Hebrews 11 “Hall of Faith” stories and our modern day counterparts.