The Eclipse of Christianity And Why it Matters, by Rupert Shortt  

'A helpful and important study, offering an insight to the vitality of the Christian faith and an argument to Christians to not give up on the church (and/or faith), despite the many challenges that belonging to the church brings, and to maintain a public presentation and engagement with society'

The Eclipse of Christianity And Why it Matters
By Rupert Shortt
Hodder & Stoughton
ISBN: 978-1399802758
Reviewed by Andy Goodliff

Rupert Shortt calls this book a call to Christians to regain their confidence. The book is a work of apologetics. It is a book that follows others like Dominion: The Making of the Western Mind by Tom Holland, which demonstrate the centrality of Christianity to Western culture.

Shortt shares this view and believes that the Christian faith and church are vital to human culture. He suggests Christianity should have an ‘anchor-like role’ in society. The Eclipse of Christianity brings together themes from earlier books by Shortt — Christianophobia; Outgrowing Dawkins; God is No Thing; and The Hardest Problem. His style is journalistic and academic.

Over 12 chapters Shortt offers his reader an argument to reconsider the place and future of Christianity. As the title suggests Shortt recognises that Christianity has been, and still is, being eclipsed, although this is not a straightforward narrative and the arguments for secularism made in the past and the more recent new atheism of the 2000s have not resulted in the total eclipse of Christianity, or religion and faith in general.

Even so, Shortt's argument takes seriously the decline in church-going and adherence to the Christian faith in the UK and Europe. (The book was published before the Bible Society’s questionable ‘quiet revival’ claims.) Shortt makes the claim that something is deeply lost if Christianity disappears, claiming that there is nothing as comprehensive in vision to replace it. At the same time, while defending Christianity, he is honest to its shortcomings and failures.   

The book is study of Christianity in the present moment, addressing questions of doctrine and practice, the fortunes of Roman Catholicism and the Church of England, and Pentecostalism, (Baptists have a brief mention on page 14!), as well as the relationship of Christianity to science, medical eithcs, media and culture, and some more recent high profile ‘conversions.’

In addition is a chapter that demonstrates how the persecution of Christians in the world is largely ignored. It is sobering read. The title of this chapter is ‘Christians Don’t Count Either’ borrowing from David Baddiel’s 2021 little book Jews Don’t Count. 

This is a helpful and important study, which is readable and informative. It offers an insight to the vitality of the Christian faith and an argument to Christians to not give up on the church (and/or faith), despite the many challenges that belonging to the church brings, and to maintain a public presentation and engagement with society. I’d recommend to ministers and interested church members who want to get their heads around the place of Christianity in the last 20 years. 
 

Andy Goodliff is the minister of Belle Vue Baptist Church, Southend. He is a lecturer in Baptist History at Regent's Park College, Oxford