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Secularization Isn’t Gravity
Apatheism, Exile, and Mission Without Power (with Stefan Paas)
Is Christianity declining in the West—or are we misunderstanding what’s happening?
Missiologist Stefan Paas argues that secularization isn’t inevitable. It’s not gravity. Instead, it’s the result of millions of personal decisions—and that means its trajectory can change.
In this episode of Post Everything, John Houmes talks with Paas about the rise of apatheism—a cultural moment where God isn’t rejected so much as ignored—and what it means for Christian mission in a post-Christian society.
Rather than responding with panic, nostalgia, or attempts to reclaim cultural power, Paas suggests that the Church may need to rediscover something much older: faithful witness from the margins.
Together they discuss:
Why indifference may be a bigger challenge than hostility
The surprising religious curiosity among younger generations
What Christians can learn from the biblical experience of exile
Why worship may be one of the most countercultural practices left
How the Church can maintain its identity without resentment
Why mission today may look less like conquest—and more like creating small “niches” of hope and beauty
Chapters
00:00 Intro
03:50 🧐 Christianity's Current Social Position
09:20 Christian Proclamation Amidst Apatheism
11:20 ⚽️ Christians on Liverpool FC
12:00 🎙️ Proclamation through Podcasting
16:00 Worship as Rebellion
20:55 ✝️ 🇺🇸Faith Identity & National Identity
21:30 Secularization as Exile
27:30 Learning From Historic Black Church
29:00 Identity Maintenance in Exile
34:00 Formation as Preparation for Exile
35:30 ⛪️ Six Western Types of Churches
36:30 🇺🇸 American Impulses in Church Style
40:00 Love of Enemies in Exile
43:40 ⏱️ The Kingdom of God - Geography or Chronology?
44:30 Doxology & Mission Aren't Efficient
50:05 John's Favorite Paas Quote
52:53 Is God Behind Secularization?
55:00 🌎 ⛪️The Church & the World
56:00 Christian Spirituality & Identity in Exile
59:00 Secularization = Sum of a Million Decisions
1:01:45 So Many Enemies
