The Changing Culture of Churches in America

A tidal wave of rebranding, affirmation, and acceptance of beliefs that many Christians view as contrary to Scripture is occurring in churches and denominations across America and around the world. Some religious organizations accept these lifestyles to a limited degree, while others openly affirm and support them. Many critics argue that Scripture is being reinterpreted or reshaped to align with modern cultural goals.

I have researched why many churches have changed their positions and, in the eyes of some believers, drifted from the biblical standards outlined in Scripture. The following are some of the reasons commonly cited for this shift:

Churches, denominations, pastors, and congregants may seek to:

• Adapt to modern culture in order to survive and preserve the institution
• Treat the Bible primarily as a human record of religious experiences
• Minimize doctrine
• Exalt human wisdom above God’s truth
• Redefine or deny aspects of the gospel
• Emphasize ethics over theology
• Reject traditional male headship
• Promote Critical Race Theory (CRT) in churches and seminaries
• Adopt what critics see as flawed understandings of God’s grace and Christ’s love
• Honor the language of Scripture while disregarding its substance
• Become accepting and affirming of all lifestyles

Critics also argue that many churches now prioritize grace over truth, love over law, justification over sanctification, and culture over Christ.

One example often cited is the Mormon church. The church has increasingly emphasized the use of its official name, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, and many LDS congregations have adopted practices and appearances that resemble orthodox Christian churches. This emphasis became more pronounced in 2018 when LDS President Russell M. Nelson delivered a message titled “The Correct Name of the Church.” He stated:

“It’s not a rebranding, or a whim, or cosmetic… I did this because the Lord impressed upon my mind the importance of the name He decreed for His Church.” Some question whether this shift reflects a desire for greater cultural relevance and broader acceptance within mainstream Christianity.

The following are examples of denominations and organizations that have openly accepted and included LGBTQ individuals in leadership or membership rolls, often in ways critics believe conflict with biblical teaching:

• The Association of Welcoming and Affirming Baptists promotes the “full inclusion” of gay and lesbian individuals in church life.
• The Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) permits LGBTQ marriage and the ordination of LGBTQ clergy.
• The Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) allows openly gay and lesbian individuals to serve as ministers, elders, deacons, and trustees.
• Some Methodist bodies permit membership and participation regardless of sexual orientation or practice.
• The Episcopal Church ordained Gene Robinson, the first openly gay non-celibate bishop in the Anglican Communion, and later consecrated Mary Glasspool as the first openly lesbian bishop within the Communion.

Other religious movements and traditions are also discussed in debates about doctrinal change and biblical authority:

• Jehovah’s Witnesses consider same-sex sexual activity sinful, though they acknowledge that some members may experience same-sex attraction.
• The Orthodox Church places strong emphasis on sacred tradition, prayer to saints and Mary, and recognizes additional books in its canon beyond the Protestant canon.
• Scientology, founded by L. Ron Hubbard in 1954, teaches that man is an immortal spiritual being with limitless potential. It does not affirm Jesus Christ as God, Savior, or Creator in the traditional Christian sense.

Creeping Increments

If you think Christian beliefs and doctrines cannot change, or that pastors and church leaders will not drift away from biblical teaching, Scripture itself warns otherwise (1 Timothy 4:1–3; Matthew 24:10–13; 2 Timothy 4:3–4). Critics point to the following examples as evidence of this trend:

• Union Seminary publicly confessed to plants in a chapel service centered on environmental spirituality.
• Beth Moore stated that calling homosexuality a sin may go beyond what Scripture explicitly teaches.
• Dr. Lynn Ridenhour, a Southern Baptist minister, publicly stated, “I embrace the Book of Mormon.”
• A lesbian feminist author received a Gospel Coalition 2019 Book Award for Evangelism and Apologetics.
• An ELCA congregation ordained a transgender person of color as pastor.

These examples are often cited by critics as evidence of theological drift and increasing accommodation to modern cultural values within segments of Christianity. Contact me for article location if desired.