On a recent trip to Scotland, I visited the lovely city of St Andrews. Standing on the 18th hole of the beautiful Old Course on an unusually sunny day was certainly a treat! But not far from there is St Andrews Castle, historically the official residence of Scotland’s archbishops, and also the site of a harrowing death. The castle, now in ruins, stands at the edge of the sea. The front overlooks a rolling lawn that tumbles down to the street. It is here that the plight of George Wishart, a Scottish minister, and an early proponent of the Protestant Reformation, is twinned with the castle and its occupant.
George Wishart was born in 1513. He studied at the University of Aberdeen and became a teacher as well as a preacher. As a schoolmaster, he taught his students how to read and study the New Testament in Greek. The Catholic Church at the time did not allow its congregants to read the Bible for themselves. Cardinal David Beaton, the leader of the Catholic Church in Scotland, felt threatened by Wishart and his growing number of followers. He tried several times to have Wishart assassinated. In 1546, Wishart was arrested and brought to St Andrews. Although he quoted the Bible in his answers to the court as a display of his biblical knowledge, he was condemned as a heretic and sentenced to death. The sentence was carried out in front of the castle while the cardinal watched from the safety of his home and fortress. The spot where I stood marked the place where Wishart was tortured and burned to death at the stake.
Throughout his short life, Wishart was known for being kind and generous, often giving his clothes and even bedsheets to the poor. When the Plague broke out in a nearby town, he went there to take care of the sick, risking his own life and health.
Wishart mentored a young man who became his bodyguard. When he was arrested, Wishart refused to allow his bodyguard to follow him to the castle, which probably saved his bodyguard’s life. Wishart’s follower and bodyguard, John Knox, would play a leading role in the Protestant Reformation in Scotland.
Was Wishart a heretic to the Christian faith? Or was he a prophet, at the edge of a new movement, who believed in living out his faith in service to the sick and the poor?
The theology and tenacity of a thirty-something propelled a movement that greatly and positively impacted society. The Protestant Reformation, which began in part as a revolution in favor of allowing congregants to read the Bible and think for themselves, is credited with influencing Western culture, encouraging freedom of religion, advocating for individual dignity, and even shaping political democracy.
Many subsequent movements within the Church began with new interpretations of theology that cut across the grain of the old established ones. In the early 20th century, modernists like Walter Rauschenbusch promoted the Social Gospel which emphasized a regeneration of society by focusing on social issues such as injustice and oppression. The Social Gospel took Jesus’ teachings on caring for the poor and the disenfranchised seriously. These modernists from the Social Gospel movement became affiliated with moderate and liberal churches often referred to as mainline Protestant denominations. Today, these denominations include, but are not limited to, the United Methodist Church, the Presbyterian Church USA, the United Church of Christ, the Episcopal Church, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
In reaction to the Social Gospel, fundamentalists created their own gospel brand that prioritized individual salvation through converting people to Christianity. The fundamentalists became known as evangelicals and are represented today by conservative denominations, such as the Southern Baptist Convention, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, the Evangelical Free Church of America, as well as many independent or nondenominational churches.
Perhaps there is a new movement afoot in the Church today. A look at some statistics is revealing. According to a PRRI study based on 2020 data, 44% of the US population identifies as both white and Christian. That is down from 65% in 1996 and 54% in 2006. Since 2007, the number of white Americans identifying as religiously unaffiliated (often called “Nones”) increased from 16% to 23%. Of all Americans under 30, almost 40% identify as “Nones” (up from 10% in 1986). On the surface, it appears that lots of Americans are walking away from the faith. But are they?
From 2006 to 2020, the percent of Americans who identify as white evangelicals dropped from 23% to 14%. Although white mainline Christians and white Catholics also declined from 2006, both groups have experienced recent increases to 16% and 12% of all Americans, respectively.
What do all these numbers mean? While the number of “Nones” is increasing, so is the number of white mainline Protestants. White evangelicals, on the other hand, are seeing their numbers decline. Perhaps the “Nones” have left evangelical churches and some are warming the pews at mainline Protestant churches. It is an interesting shift in demographics. And it is a big deal in today’s political conversation where white evangelicals tend to be the most vocal but represent a shrinking portion of all Americans.
Anecdotal evidence indicates that thousands of white (often younger) Americans are leaving the evangelical church and either worshipping at mainline churches or not at all. Many of these ex-evangelicals grew up in the evangelical church and are now questioning the beliefs that they were taught. Some call this a deconstruction of their faith as they sift through what they believe and question why they should continue to believe the theology they were taught. Some beliefs are retained while others are discarded. This rebuilding of their faith is called reconstruction where they internalize their new beliefs and live out their newly discovered values and related theology. Many of these ex-evangelicals may still identify as Christians but eschew institutionalized, organized religion.
Like the Reformers in the 16th century, today’s ex-evangelicals are proponents of thinking through theology themselves instead of relying on church leaders’ interpretations. With boldness and courage like that of George Wishart, maybe they will start their own movement and reformation that begins with loving God and neighbor and extends to caring for the poor, the imprisoned, the sick, and the oppressed. Perhaps they will be considered heretical. Or maybe they will indeed be prophets teaching a new way to live out their faith. Regardless, it certainly looks a lot like the reformation, the movement, and the mission of Jesus.*
*Luke 4:18-19 – [Jesus reading His mission statement in the synagogue from Isaiah 61]“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Text and photograph copyright © 2023 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of St Andrews Castle in St Andrews, Scotland.
Not a subscriber to the monthly blog posts? Click here to subscribe. Blog subscribers receive an email each month that includes the blog with the lead photo as well as bonus photos not posted on the website. Email addresses are never sold or shared.
A NOTE ON SOCIAL JUSTICE:
Jesus says the greatest commandments are to love God and to love people (Matthew 22:37-40). The Christian faith boils down to these two precepts.
Social justice puts that love into action by helping individuals who are oppressed, mistreated, or suffering, and by pursuing ways to dismantle systems of oppression. How we treat others, particularly those less powerful in society than ourselves, matters (Matthew 25:31-46).
Racial justice is one aspect of social justice. Check out my web page on “Justice Matters” to find resources and to connect with organizations engaging in the cause of racial justice. Click here to learn more.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
George Wishart was born in 1513. He studied at the University of Aberdeen and became a teacher as well as a preacher. As a schoolmaster, he taught his students how to read and study the New Testament in Greek. The Catholic Church at the time did not allow its congregants to read the Bible for themselves. Cardinal David Beaton, the leader of the Catholic Church in Scotland, felt threatened by Wishart and his growing number of followers. He tried several times to have Wishart assassinated. In 1546, Wishart was arrested and brought to St Andrews. Although he quoted the Bible in his answers to the court as a display of his biblical knowledge, he was condemned as a heretic and sentenced to death. The sentence was carried out in front of the castle while the cardinal watched from the safety of his home and fortress. The spot where I stood marked the place where Wishart was tortured and burned to death at the stake.
Throughout his short life, Wishart was known for being kind and generous, often giving his clothes and even bedsheets to the poor. When the Plague broke out in a nearby town, he went there to take care of the sick, risking his own life and health.
Wishart mentored a young man who became his bodyguard. When he was arrested, Wishart refused to allow his bodyguard to follow him to the castle, which probably saved his bodyguard’s life. Wishart’s follower and bodyguard, John Knox, would play a leading role in the Protestant Reformation in Scotland.
Was Wishart a heretic to the Christian faith? Or was he a prophet, at the edge of a new movement, who believed in living out his faith in service to the sick and the poor?
The theology and tenacity of a thirty-something propelled a movement that greatly and positively impacted society. The Protestant Reformation, which began in part as a revolution in favor of allowing congregants to read the Bible and think for themselves, is credited with influencing Western culture, encouraging freedom of religion, advocating for individual dignity, and even shaping political democracy.
Many subsequent movements within the Church began with new interpretations of theology that cut across the grain of the old established ones. In the early 20th century, modernists like Walter Rauschenbusch promoted the Social Gospel which emphasized a regeneration of society by focusing on social issues such as injustice and oppression. The Social Gospel took Jesus’ teachings on caring for the poor and the disenfranchised seriously. These modernists from the Social Gospel movement became affiliated with moderate and liberal churches often referred to as mainline Protestant denominations. Today, these denominations include, but are not limited to, the United Methodist Church, the Presbyterian Church USA, the United Church of Christ, the Episcopal Church, and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.
In reaction to the Social Gospel, fundamentalists created their own gospel brand that prioritized individual salvation through converting people to Christianity. The fundamentalists became known as evangelicals and are represented today by conservative denominations, such as the Southern Baptist Convention, the Evangelical Presbyterian Church, the Evangelical Free Church of America, as well as many independent or nondenominational churches.
Perhaps there is a new movement afoot in the Church today. A look at some statistics is revealing. According to a PRRI study based on 2020 data, 44% of the US population identifies as both white and Christian. That is down from 65% in 1996 and 54% in 2006. Since 2007, the number of white Americans identifying as religiously unaffiliated (often called “Nones”) increased from 16% to 23%. Of all Americans under 30, almost 40% identify as “Nones” (up from 10% in 1986). On the surface, it appears that lots of Americans are walking away from the faith. But are they?
From 2006 to 2020, the percent of Americans who identify as white evangelicals dropped from 23% to 14%. Although white mainline Christians and white Catholics also declined from 2006, both groups have experienced recent increases to 16% and 12% of all Americans, respectively.
What do all these numbers mean? While the number of “Nones” is increasing, so is the number of white mainline Protestants. White evangelicals, on the other hand, are seeing their numbers decline. Perhaps the “Nones” have left evangelical churches and some are warming the pews at mainline Protestant churches. It is an interesting shift in demographics. And it is a big deal in today’s political conversation where white evangelicals tend to be the most vocal but represent a shrinking portion of all Americans.
Anecdotal evidence indicates that thousands of white (often younger) Americans are leaving the evangelical church and either worshipping at mainline churches or not at all. Many of these ex-evangelicals grew up in the evangelical church and are now questioning the beliefs that they were taught. Some call this a deconstruction of their faith as they sift through what they believe and question why they should continue to believe the theology they were taught. Some beliefs are retained while others are discarded. This rebuilding of their faith is called reconstruction where they internalize their new beliefs and live out their newly discovered values and related theology. Many of these ex-evangelicals may still identify as Christians but eschew institutionalized, organized religion.
Like the Reformers in the 16th century, today’s ex-evangelicals are proponents of thinking through theology themselves instead of relying on church leaders’ interpretations. With boldness and courage like that of George Wishart, maybe they will start their own movement and reformation that begins with loving God and neighbor and extends to caring for the poor, the imprisoned, the sick, and the oppressed. Perhaps they will be considered heretical. Or maybe they will indeed be prophets teaching a new way to live out their faith. Regardless, it certainly looks a lot like the reformation, the movement, and the mission of Jesus.*
*Luke 4:18-19 – [Jesus reading His mission statement in the synagogue from Isaiah 61]“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”
Text and photograph copyright © 2023 by Dawn Dailey. All rights reserved. Photo of St Andrews Castle in St Andrews, Scotland.
Not a subscriber to the monthly blog posts? Click here to subscribe. Blog subscribers receive an email each month that includes the blog with the lead photo as well as bonus photos not posted on the website. Email addresses are never sold or shared.
A NOTE ON SOCIAL JUSTICE:
Jesus says the greatest commandments are to love God and to love people (Matthew 22:37-40). The Christian faith boils down to these two precepts.
Social justice puts that love into action by helping individuals who are oppressed, mistreated, or suffering, and by pursuing ways to dismantle systems of oppression. How we treat others, particularly those less powerful in society than ourselves, matters (Matthew 25:31-46).
Racial justice is one aspect of social justice. Check out my web page on “Justice Matters” to find resources and to connect with organizations engaging in the cause of racial justice. Click here to learn more.
All scripture quotations, unless otherwise indicated, are taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®. Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.™ Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved worldwide. www.zondervan.com The “NIV” and “New International Version” are trademarks registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office by Biblica, Inc.™
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