Bigotry against people of faith seems to be the last variant still given quarter in the popular discourse and one needn’t a look-see at titles like God is Not Great and The God Delusion on the New York Times Best Sellers List to arrive at this conclusion. The internet is festooned with sophomoric attempts at iconoclastic philosophy. I’ve seen militant atheists claim Sunday school was a form of child abuse, characterize religious faith as a bona fide form of mental illness, and—unmindful of the blood-thirsty atheistic regimes of Stalin, Mao, and Pol Pot—portray religion as the only cause of war, oppression, and terrorism in the world.
One specimen of this tommyrot really sticks out: “Organized religion has wrecked havoc on civilization”.
It disquiets me not simply as someone who practices Christianity in the Anglican tradition of the Episcopal Church, but as an historian as well.
Ecclesiastical institutions throughout the centuries have established schools, universities libraries, orphanages, soup kitchens, publishing houses, homeless shelters, hospitals and disaster relief agencies. Religious persons, motivated by their faith, were at the cutting edge of the abolitionist, labor reform, peace, civil rights and temperance movements. Public education as we know it began in 17th Century England amongst the Puritans who, by 1680, were running nearly 400 schools in that country. The Quakers in our area were not only instrumental in undertaking the manumission of slaves but ran schools to educate recently-freed persons. Missionary societies introduced schools and modern medicine to impoverished parts of the world; abolished head-hunting, cannibalism, and tribal warfare.
Some wreaking havoc on civilization.
All this begs the question: How do I personally contribute to wrecking havoc on civilization? Well, my church is St. Jude’s Episcopal Church in Wantagh whose congregation includes many from the Wantagh/Seaford/Levittown area. At St. Jude’s, we raise money and donate children’s clothes and books to the Standing Rock Indian Reservation in South Dakota, cook meals and generate funds for the Ali Forney Center for homeless teenagers, collect money for UNICEF, participate in a local food pantry with other churches in our area, have an “adopt a family” program for those living in poverty, host blood drives, and provide space for self-help and outreach organizations. I have to confess that as wrecking havoc on civilization goes, our endeavors are minuscule compared to Attila the Hun or Tamerlane. Still, we do what we can with what we have available.
If you are feeling especially charitable ‘round the holidays and are considering wreaking havoc on civilization, you might consider contacting St. Jude’s at 516-221-2505 or via e-mail at sjwantagh@verizon.net. All are welcomed irrespective of faith or affiliation.
Paul Manton
