The Meaning Crisis in Western Culture

There is a growing consensus that Western Culture’s previously dominant myths, narratives, and values are unraveling, and we are undergoing a radical transition of self-understanding and meaning.

Part of this transition involves Christianity’s decline as a cultural influence and unifying narrative. The tangle of subnarratives we call secularism has replaced it but has been shown to be incoherent, inadequate, and likely short-lived.

The result is that we live in a post-Christian, post-secular culture suffering from amythia and undergoing a crisis in meaning.

The West’s need for a new unifying narrative is essentially a religious project, likely a Christian one. However, the old forms of Christianity are in disarray and decaying. New forms of Christianity must emerge if the West hopes to be a vital, unified, and humane culture.

  • A Crisis of Meaning

    Western culture is undergoing a period of instability marked by cultural and practical decline, leading to increasingly dysfunctional governments, economies, and social institutions, which further hastens the cultural downturn.

    A crisis of meaning drives this instability, characterized by widespread disillusionment, alienation, and existential angst in Western societies.

    This crisis is evident in rising mental illness, social unrest, and institutional decay, reflecting Western culture's loss of purpose.

    The erosion of traditional sources of meaning—religion, community, and shared cultural narratives—lies at the core of this crisis.

    For over a millennium, Christianity shaped the West’s foundational narratives and self-understanding, but its cultural influence is waning.

    While many current Christian forms and institutions are flawed and outdated, deserving to fade, the tradition retains a core wisdom worth preserving.

    Much of the West’s most humane and dignified qualities stem from this tradition, warranting renewed engagement.

  • A Post-Christian Era

    A post-Christian culture emerges when Christianity ceases to be predominate, its values and beliefs no longer guiding most people.

    Christianity profoundly shaped the West, fostering an imperfect, but more humane, compassionate culture, though its influence—now a fading residue—often goes unrecognized.

    As it declines, the West risks reverting to harsher, cultural norms marked by an indifference to human dignity.

    Moral relativism is growing, undermining shared values and fostering nihilism, while concern for cooperation, compassion, and the marginalized weakens.

    Churches and denominations are shrinking, with many Christian communities becoming culturally compromised and theologically shallow.

    Christian holidays and symbols persist but are secularized, stripped of religious meaning.

    Overall, increasing numbers no longer identify with the Gospel’s narratives.

  • Post-Secular, Too

    Secularism, though often seen as value and narrative neutral, rests on interconnected subnarratives—individualism, progress, technism, scientific reductionism, and materialism—that shape its assumptions and values.

    While freedom, progress, and science are valuable, they alone cannot sustain a cohesive culture with shared meaning.

    A focus on individual rights, material advancement, and technology struggles to foster community, purpose, and unity, essential for cultural stability.

    Some scholars thus describe Western culture as "post-secular."

    This phase does not necessarily signal a return to traditional Christianity, but cultural dynamics resist a religious void.

    For Christianity to regain influence in this cultural environment, its theological foundations and community practices must be reformulated.

  • Reasons for Christianity's Decline

    Christianity’s decline in the West stems from multiple factors, many self-inflicted.

    The Enlightenment’s focus on reason and evidence, alongside naturalism’s rejection of the supernatural, challenged Christian beliefs.

    Evidential reasoning demands proof, clashing with faith-based claims, while theology struggles to align with science and philosophy, leaving many unconvinced.

    Perceived as judgmental and exclusionary—especially toward women, marginalized groups, and differing beliefs—Christianity’s outdated stances on many social issues also alienates modern audiences.

    This worsens when churches fail to embody love and compassion, with scandals over clergy misconduct, financial misdeeds, and overt political ties further eroding trust and relevance.

    Critics highlight shallow theology, banal liturgies, empty rituals, and magical thinking, as many churches offer simplistic, feel-good messages instead of addressing existential concerns.

    Further, popular forms of prosperity gospel and consumerist faith prioritize material gain over spiritual depth, mirroring popular culture rather than challenging it.

    These issues, alongside broader cultural shifts, drive Christianity’s decline.

  • A Way Forward

    Christianity in the West stands at a crossroads, with an opportunity for renewal. It can regain cultural influence through:

    I. Theological Revisioning: Re-examining theology with intellectual rigor, not abandoning core beliefs but integrating modern knowledge, including:

    • Philosophical soundness: Engaging modern philosophy, science, and evidence-based reasoning.

    • Mythopoetic language: Using metaphor and narrative to convey symbolic truths.

    • Integration of knowledge: Incorporating science, history, and contemporary insights.

    II. Inclusive Communities: Historically, Christianity thrived through strong communities, not theology or miracles. To revive, it must foster:

    • Radical inclusivity: Welcoming all backgrounds with acceptance.

    • Integrity: Aligning actions with values transparently.

    • Mutual support: Offering compassion and aid within a supportive network.

    • Countercultural ethics: Championing compassion, forgiveness, and service against secular individualism.

    III. Humility and Invitation: A renewed Christianity should:

    • Embrace humility: Admitting its limits and learning from others.

    • Invite, don’t impose: Presenting its message as an option, not a mandate.

    • Reject self-righteousness: Avoiding judgment and acknowledging fallibility.

    By adopting these, Christianity can shed outdated flaws, offering a vision of flourishing that blends intellectual depth, ethical living, and spiritual meaning.

    Be warned, resistance from traditionalists will be fierce.