The New Civic Religion

                                         THE NEW CIVIC RELIGION

Author PATRICK SOOKHDEO

Publisher ISAAC PUBLISHING

ISBN 978-0-9977033-3-7

Plainly, simply and helpfully the author addresses the retrograde progress taking place in society today as Humanism captures the minds of politicians, the media, educators and even the church of today.  You could call this a prophetic book, with its succinct warning both to the world and the church.  It is not surprising that it had to be published by a Christian publishing house, certainly none of the ‘secular’ ones would want to see a book like this coming into the hands of their customers.  Religion, in particular, Christianity has been systematically ridiculed in University and by the media, all because the heart of man would rather worship man rather than have God.  Humanism basically says that man is God and the devastation that ensues from this folly is the dark side of history.  

This book is divided into twelve readable and quite well laid out sections.  It avoids being wordy, it lays emphasis where it should be laid.  It traces something of the historical antecedents of humanism and the way both in the twentieth century and into the twenty-first we see how it is taking the field and so many ‘know it not’ nor where it leads.  Humanism has already penetrated the church and is diluting its witness.  The subtitle of the book is, “Humanism and the Future of Christianity.”  Words that should alert us to get and read this under two hundred page book and introduce it to others in our church and we would be well advised to use the study guide with which it closes in house groups.  Although concentrating mainly within the UK as humanistic laws become established on the statute books the book is pertinent to USA and other westernised countries.  The sections of the book reveal its direction and how practical it is.  What is humanism and how is it interacting with Christianity?  

What is the way forward for the Christian Church? How is the church to live in the context of the growing belief in the tenets of humanism?  Is the church aware of its enemies and does it embrace its true identity and calling?  At this point the author emphasises three words, Creed, Community and Commandment.  The central note of the Christian Creed is Jesus is Lord, no-one and nothing else.  Let the church return to its creed, to God the creator and sustainer and in His Son, the Saviour of all.   Let the church become the community of holy men and women living in a ruined world instead of being enslaved to an individualist view of salvation and trying to be extrovert and noisy in the manner of the social norms of today .  The church must come under the commandments of the Lord Jesus and not embrace the ‘progressive’ views of the world, but the absolutes of God.  Here is essential reading material for the churches.  It needs to be considered slowly and systematically and will be eye opening to many.  

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