
Christianity in the West is in decline. In our region, some countries experience this more acutely than others, but identification with traditional churches is diminishing. In Africa, however, it is growing stronger.
Yet, this is not merely about a break from Catholic or Protestant traditions. It goes beyond individualism or rejection of institutions. Is it an erosion within individuals? Or was there never a profound Christian experience to begin with?
This crisis is not about ecclesiastical authorities. The main issue is that the baptized, in general, do not seem to have internalized Jesus. Undoubtedly, there remains an anonymous, small, invisible Christianity, and a Christianity of foundations that alleviate suffering or support the marginalized. This is indeed an intimate Christianity, evident in acts of kindness. But in other cases, Christians do not seem to differ from anyone else.
As for a prophetic Christianity, there is hardly anything to say. Christ was a prophet, but the baptized do not represent Him as such. They do not challenge the status quo; no one insults them, no one opposes them for their way of understanding faith. It has been a long time since there were persecutions or martyrdoms in our midst. What we have is an amorphous Christianity. Flabby.
Could Christians begin anew this Christmas?
At first glance, no. Some may argue that Santa Claus competes with Jesus, or that stores reduce the celebration of His birth to gift sales. But we should go beyond such criticisms. The truth is, the exchange of gifts—even Secret Santa—serves as a way to exchange tokens of affection. We should take it as such, and leave it at that.
However, a better path than mere criticism is possible. These days offer an opportunity to take the Nativity seriously. It helps to consider that Christianity began with a helpless Jew, the son of a modest man and woman. Galilee was an impoverished region, a cradle of rebels and agitators. Its people were poor. Joseph may have been illiterate. Mary, most likely so.
The Nativity reminds us of a father and mother, and a synagogue, that introduced the child to a formidable tradition of humanity. They made Him aware of the centuries-old experiences of the people of Israel. They nurtured in Him the capacity to feel, think, see, hear, work, meditate, and, above all, believe in God. They shaped in Jesus a mystic capable of dying for others.
Contemplating the Nativity in 2024 could trigger a God experience analogous to that of Jesus Himself. Someone will always be needed to play the role of Mary, Joseph, and the synagogue—a Church that, despite its limitations, conveys such a humanizing tradition. The main task will be to communicate an experience: a testimony, an “inner knowledge” of Jesus (as St. Ignatius would say).
The Church should foster spaces where people can share and exchange testimonies of faith and also welcome testimonies of transcendent experiences from non-Christians and even non-believers. This will be the litmus test. The Church should be a hospitable space where ordinary people speak heart-to-heart about the depths of their lives. If this does not happen, identification with Christianity will remain hollow or merely cultural. If non-Christians do not find in this Church a welcoming home to share “their gospel,” then turn off the lights and close the doors.
Church authorities—mainly bishops and priests—must be able to bear witness to Christ at this level. If they cannot, or rarely do so, it is likely that, despite their office, they lack an inner knowledge of Jesus. Of what use are doctrine, Sunday homilies, and pastoral letters if the essential is missing? They are mistaken if they think the success of their mission is not ultimately an encounter between people whose lives have been transformed by God. The fact is, the Church has endured for two millennia precisely because it has been able to bring a living Christ to succeeding generations.
Jesus had a spiritual experience that ignited the early Church, setting it ablaze. Jesus enjoyed an unprecedented interior life. Christianity today could spark that again. It might help to spend some time before the Nativity scene: to linger with the Holy Family, the shepherds, and the animals; to read what the evangelists wrote to tell us about it; and to scan what is happening there with the heart.