My First Things article on the three worlds of evangelicalism featured as a part of the context for a recent debate over the legacy of Tim Keller (see here, here, here, and here among others). In that dispute, some people critiqued my framework. One of their points of dispute is about the dating of what I labeled the “negative world.” I want to explain why their critique of my framework fails to persuade and lacks explanatory power.
I read the links in your previous article, including David French's response, which was a transparent straw man argument. The Positive world becomes the straw man of a "Golden Age," which is refuted by noting that he grew up in the South and witnessed immorality in that era. Your framework only defines the reception of Christianity, not some general level of morality.
But thanks for this detailed response. It is a slam dunk. Christianity had a positive reception at one time in this country, and now it doesn't. Therefore, there must have been a transition at some point in time from positive to negative, and it most likely passed through a neutral stage rather than happening instantly. If the critics don't like the dates you chose, let them make a constructive case for some other dates, instead of whining about yours.
I read the links in your previous article, including David French's response, which was a transparent straw man argument. The Positive world becomes the straw man of a "Golden Age," which is refuted by noting that he grew up in the South and witnessed immorality in that era. Your framework only defines the reception of Christianity, not some general level of morality.
But thanks for this detailed response. It is a slam dunk. Christianity had a positive reception at one time in this country, and now it doesn't. Therefore, there must have been a transition at some point in time from positive to negative, and it most likely passed through a neutral stage rather than happening instantly. If the critics don't like the dates you chose, let them make a constructive case for some other dates, instead of whining about yours.