I'm seeing something else. On Substack – where I also
write – I see men, some of them young, some not so young, not finding much of substance in the "evangelical" churches, seeking elsewhere. I think of Rod Dreher, Paul Kingsnorth, Martin Shaw, and others, seeking – and finding,
after a fashion – an ancientness, longevity, and certitude they have not found in the evangelical world. It was Rod Dreher (via some writer he was influenced by) who espoused a disdain for the Reformation, and for Calvinism, falsely blaming much of modern Christian and societal decay on them. And this poison has spread.
Rod wanders off into sensory phenomena (paranormal, omens, dreams, anecdotal stuff, supposed "miracles", UFOs) and builds much of his view of life and "faith" on such. He's a good writer, and some of his earlier work,
Live Not By Lies,
The Benedict Option, had much merit, despite great reliance on Eastern Orthodoxy. He's now promoting "re-enchantment" via EO and its, and his, mysticisms.
Paul Kingsnorth, a younger man, once an atheistic activist, converted to EO, and began a "journey" visiting ancient "holy wells" across the U.K. (I think he lives in Ireland now, on a farm, as much off-the-grid as he can). It's finding the "holy" in the mundane, in the tracks of supposed saints. Paul is a good writer.
I think N.S. Lyons (a pseudonym) is turning to EO (or some Christian faith), in some measure initially influenced by C.S. Lewis, and Tolkien, and now by other EO men. He's a very astute and gifted soul in gov't employ – perhaps Intelligence.
An EO woman, some years ago, said to me, the places you people worship (Protestants, and me, Reformed) are like union hall meeting places, instead of glorious cathedrals. The beauty, the smells, the artwork, the singing, the icons, liturgies, etc.
As for me, in my simpler spiritual life, the beauty is to be found in the glory and power of Christ's presence, the wonders and the visions given us in His written word – in other words, though our gathering places may be (though not always) plain and ordinary, the means of grace we love, the preaching, the Lord's Table, the singing, reading of Scripture, prayer, fellowship in the Spirit and the Word of our God, these are where we find God's glory, and our joy.
The move to EO is, from what I have seen (I live in Cyprus, which some call the heart of EO), an adherence to things both sensory and "mystical". Not the "robust mysticism" of David in the Psalms, or of Paul in his prayers and writings – where it is the Holy Spirit bringing to us those things which are above,
"If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory" (Col 3:1, 2, 3, 4 KJV)
Some of these EO folks may have genuine faith, but it is – it seems to me – feeble and too worldly. And not Scriptural.
A.A. Hodge, in his commentary on the Westminster Confession of Faith; WCF CHAPTER 1
Of the Holy Scripture, Section II; “… Holy Scripture, or the Word of God written [the 66 books of the Bible] . . . are given by inspiration of God to be
the rule of faith and life.”
At the end of this chapter of the WCF, in Section X, Hodge says,
“. . . the Scriptures are the only authoritative voice in the Church”. [thanks to Ben,
@SolaScriptura, for highlighting this!}
EO has
many other voices they deem authoritative, to their great lack.