It’s often been assumed that the future will be a godless place. That economic development, along with science and the spread of democracy, will create a secularist world where religion will be on its knees. Institutional Christianity is indeed in trouble, but other traditional religions such as Islam are booming. So what’s next—a resurgent Christianity, militant atheism or religious wars?
The argument that God is dead, found most famously in the works of the German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche, is credible, but the message is mixed. In some regions, organized belief is being superseded by secularism, militant atheism, celebrity fervor and a belief in science over other forms of wonder. With Christianity in Europe, for example, things are looking bleak. One conceivable outcome is marginalization alongside Islam or against a plethora of new sects, celebrity cults and personal religions where populist preachers offer instant gratification in the “church of me right now.” The reaction of Christian Churches to this will, in all probability, be to update themselves to ensure their relevance in today’s world, but in so doing they risk distancing themselves from the one thing that would ensure their survival—a clear path to the next world. It is, of course, true that in many parts of Africa and Asia, formal Christian worship is expanding. Worship is resilient in the USA too, but radical sects and shallow evangelism underpin much of this growth, as do radical sects in many developing regions, and this is unlikely to last for long.
“Religions come and go but mostly they come and stay.”
Felipe Fernández-Armesto, historian and author
Changing belief systems Doing well right now, globally, is religious fervor minus the religion. Celebrities generate worship-like hysteria across the world, while successful businesses tap into the messianic delusions of their followers. It’s websites not worship, and iPads not the Book of Job. But, again, how long will this last? Putting on a pair of farsighted glasses, things start to look very different.
First there’s the idea that in a world of crumbling confidence and unending uncertainty, traditional religions can continue to do what they’ve always done: they explain the unexplainable and provide meaning in a world full of chaos. Secularism, in contrast, is quite literally meaningless. As for science destroying religion, the very opposite could end up being true. We may find that the more we find out about the universe, the less we understand it and the more confused we become, which could benefit religion with its simple rules and explanations.
There’s also the thought that as science delves further into the origins of our universe we may find out that ours is not the only one (see Chapter 40). There may be other parallel universes (multiverses), which might help to explain the notion of heaven and hell. Equally, we may find a way of communicating via thought alone (neurotelepathy), an idea that links to the use of prayer to communicate with unseen gods. Or how about the separation of body and soul? This currently sounds ridiculous to some, but if one day we understand what consciousness is, perhaps we’ll be able to isolate it and put it somewhere else, thereby creating creatures of pure consciousness—spirits by another name.
Demographics are another reason for supporters of traditional religion to be optimistic. High fertility rates underpin much of the growth of Islam, while increased longevity means larger numbers of older people—who are interested in deep questions about what comes next. There’s the argument that the aim of living longer may itself become a religion (see Chapter 35), but we’ll have to deal with that if and when it happens.
Another trend feeding traditional religion is urbanization. Hundreds of millions of people are moving into urban areas, and this makes for atomized, rootless and restless societies. Religion, once again, offers people a community and identity that is secure.
Admittedly, the wealth that often flows from urbanization can be an enemy of traditional religion. Why? Because money can buy immediate comfort and a life of superficial distraction and sensory pleasure, all of which block deep thought and reflection. However, as we’ve already seen, a quest for happiness is starting to shine a light on whether or not material goods produce long-term satisfaction.
Finally, there’s technology. We’ll explore one of the impacts of rapid technological change next, but suffice to say that anxiety created by complexity and the speed of change is likely to play out well for religions that emphasize permanence, simplicity, history and tradition.
Fulfilling a need Is there anything else that mainstream religions should fear over the longer term? Various cults and sects will appeal to the anxieties of our age, but their intellectual underpinnings will be too shallow for them to keep standing firm for long. There is also paganism. Strangely, this may do well due to our desire for magic in a scientific age. What we might end up with, therefore, is science living alongside superstition. This leaves the more established religions, whose greatest worry may be each other. Historically, when religions feel secure their followers have a tendency to fight each other and I see no reason why this impulse will go away.
“Perhaps our role on this planet is not to worship God—but to create Him.”
Arthur C. Clarke, sci-fi author, inventor and futurist
So there we have it. Mainstream or traditional religions will survive because we will need them. The future will be confusing and religions will provide explanation. They will provide rules on how to behave, as well as something else that human beings, uniquely, appear to need—meaning. Somehow, most of us just can’t live (or die) with the thought that there’s nothing else out there. What people need most is the promise of a future, and what the future needs most is the reassurance and continuity of the distant past.
the condensed idea
God is not dead
| timeline | |
|---|---|
| 1883 | Friedrich Nietzsche claims that God is dead |
| 1966 | Time magazine asks “Is God dead?” |
| 2005 | Sermons via text message |
| 2009 | Virtual funeral ceremonies |
| 2011 | US study predicts religion may become extinct in nine countries |
| 2020 | Catholic Church under pressure to support euthanasia |
| 2030 | First female pope |
| 2050 | Return of the Messiah (but this time she’s called Kylie) |