Are we living in a new Apostolic Era?

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What difference would it make if we were living in a new Apostolic Era? What if the Christendom era really is over, and we have entered a new phase of humanity? For Christians, we may meet these questions with little curiosity because we are so busy with our everyday lives that we have no time to ponder such things. And yet, our responses will make all the difference.

The early followers of Christ, the Risen Lord, had choices to make, too. In those first decades after Jesus’ death and resurrection, the period was referred to as the Apostolic Era, as his followers experienced the Holy Spirit within them. Jesus’ Spirit led this fledgling group and gave them confidence to engage courageously, boldly and with conviction in the world where they lived. His Spirit was referred to as “the Indwelling Spirit,” which lives in each of us in this era of humanity, as well.

Following the roughly 300 hundred years of the Apostolic Era, Christianity was legalized. But, to follow the faith during the Apostolic Era was dangerous and risky and could cost a follower his or her life. The Christendom Era required the mere recitation of a Creed and the admission that one was a Christian. Little was asked of these followers because the rules of abiding by the faith sufficed for their lack of a depth of conviction.

This is no longer true, and many researchers of our times contend we are now living in a new Apostolic Era, in which being a Christian is once again dangerous and risky. We can be “canceled” for our beliefs and become as if we never existed, professionally or socially. We can be scrutinized for our admission in the belief in this Indwelling Spirit that leads us and speaks wisdom to us. We can be ridiculed for participating in the Eucharist, in which we eat the flesh and drink the blood of our leader. Some would say we are a strange and sinister lot.

These ideas may be too much for the busyness of our season of life. We have kids to raise or adult children to encourage. We have jobs and responsibilities. We have households and budgets. Who has time to think about a new Apostolic Era? We may ask ourselves, why we can’t just go back to the Christendom Era, which provided the rules for living a good life, and all we had to do was follow them faithfully? Wasn’t that enough?

And actually, the answer would be a simple ‘no.’ It isn’t enough in this secular, misguided, ungodly culture in which we are living. We may not think we are up to the task of transforming our world, but we have to be. If we are not willing to stand firmly for what we believe, and choose instead to cave to the pressure of the culture, we may be tempted to commit apostasy, which was prevalent during the first Apostolic Era.

It has been said that “the blood of the martyrs was the seed of Christianity.” We must ask ourselves if we are willing to live as true Christians in this new era. Are we willing to help transform the world or will we give in to the pressure of the culture and swim with the current? This is a decision we must each make. As the Book of Revelation states, “I know your works; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth” (3:15-16). We are now living in a time when it is no longer acceptable to be lukewarm. We must all choose and that choice will have consequences.

Soucheray is a licensed marriage and family therapist emeritus and a member of St. Ambrose of Woodbury. She holds a master’s degree in theology from The St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity in St. Paul and a doctorate in educational leadership from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota.