The Paradox of Our ‘Secular Age’
Modern life has not extinguished faith; rather, it has amplified its most fervent expressions. In Durham, North Carolina—where esteemed universities and medical centers thrive alongside centers of scientific inquiry—the power of the Holy Spirit remains a palpable force. At a recent service held at Catch the Fire Church, a diminutive, blonde evangelist named Carol Arnott, from Toronto, made her way down the aisle. Draped in a radiant magenta tunic, she gently laid her hands on members of the congregation and invoked the Spirit with an impassioned shout of “Fire on them, Lord!” As her words echoed, several worshippers reacted dramatically, some falling back as if overcome by a tangible force.
A man in a hoodie, known as the “catcher,” moved behind her, ready to assist anyone who experienced what is often called being “slain in the Spirit.” A single touch from Arnott seemed enough to send even more individuals into a state of reverence on the floor. With gentle humor, she advised one dazed attendee, “Don’t get up too soon. You’re like a steak, marinating.” As she moved among the crowd, she recounted a vision in which Jesus bestowed upon her a bouquet of delicate lilies of the valley, crowned her with blooms, and draped her in a wedding veil, asking, “The bridegroom is coming. Are you ready?” Amid the murmurs and spontaneous laughter of the gathering, her message resonated with both dramatic intensity and an undercurrent of playfulness.
Catch the Fire is part of a rapidly expanding movement within Christianity. Charismatic believers, who hold that the Holy Spirit endows them with the gifts of speaking in tongues, healing, and prophesying—mirroring the experiences of Jesus’s earliest followers—make up one of the most dynamic and fastest-growing religious groups today. In the United States, they comprise a significant portion of roughly 60 million individuals who identify as born-again, illustrating a striking paradox: as formal church attendance declines, the intensity and supernatural aspects of religious experience have surged.
Yet, it is not only charismatic Christians who have embraced spiritual practices that might seem at odds with our rational, modern worldview. A substantial majority of Americans—reportedly 87 percent—adhere to at least one New Age belief, such as reincarnation, karma, or telepathy. Over the course of my research on charismatic Christianity for my new book, I encountered everything from Silicon Valley podcast hosts offering ayahuasca ceremonies to spiritual coaches who blend techniques like Reiki with narratives of past lives, reflecting a broader cultural trend toward personal, experiential spirituality.
At a healing workshop near Denver, practitioners gathered to explore the universe’s unseen energies, aiming to cure ailments like cancer and arthritis. Nearby, a shamanic drum circle led by a former software engineer invited participants to embark on a journey to meet their spiritual animal guides. Such gatherings challenge traditional definitions of secularism, suggesting that spiritual longing and the search for personal meaning remain potent forces in a self-described secular age.
This surge in supernatural expression has shed the old stigmas attached to extraordinary religious experiences. Where once believers had to hide their ecstatic manifestations out of fear of medical or legal reprisal, today many Americans simply smile and choose not to take spiritual eccentricities too seriously. As one pastor at Catch the Fire observed amid the lighthearted atmosphere, “We choose to look silly.”
At its core, charismatic Christianity encourages liberating one’s inhibitions as much as it advocates adherence to biblical teachings. In his early years, Pastor Randy Clark, closely associated with Catch the Fire, admitted that witnessing others being overcome by the Spirit left him unmoved until a trusted friend advised him not to fight the experience but rather to welcome it. Following that advice, Clark soon had his own profound, physical encounter—a transformative moment that began with a subtle movement in his right thumb, a quiet revolution of his spirit emerging through simple openness.
It is important to note that openness to the mystical does not require the abandonment of classical doctrine. Many charismatic congregations uphold traditional biblical teachings, and even within the Catholic community—renowned for its doctrinal rigor—there is a vibrant charismatic presence. One prime example is the Alpha course, which began in a charismatic Anglican parish in London in 1977. Evolving into an 11-week journey into the basics of Christianity, the program is now available in 112 languages and culminates in a weekend of prayer centered on experiencing the Holy Spirit firsthand.
As Graham Tomlin, an Anglican priest involved in Alpha, noted, people who are initially skeptical frequently find themselves transformed by the undeniable presence they experience during these encounters. Alpha, therefore, is less a rigid doctrinal discussion and more an invitation to meet God in a personal, tangible way.
One could argue that these groups are simply fulfilling mainstream desires for deeper, individual spiritual experiences. The trend towards Spirit-filled worship and the insistence on personal divine contact mirror broader cultural shifts—favoring individual experience and self-actualization over traditional, collectivist standards and institutional authority. In the 1960s, as Western society began to question traditional institutions and embrace the ideas of pop psychology, individual spiritual exploration started to flourish. Over the ensuing decades, a growing mistrust of established institutions has further emboldened these personal quests for meaning.
Some religious leaders do express concern that placing too much weight on personal feelings could undermine objective truth. As one Anglican priest remarked, when personal sentiment becomes the sole measure of reality, the risk arises that “I feel it, therefore it’s my truth” becomes the prevailing norm. Yet in America, an ethos of self-optimization often triumphs over calls for universal standards, with personal authenticity and direct experience seemingly eclipsing traditional authority.
This culturally ingrained impulse toward self-reliance and personal revelation has also influenced politics. In recent years, political figures have tapped into these sentiments, promoting narratives that lean on spiritual authenticity and a deep-seated distrust of elite institutions. The image of a political leader as a kind of modern savior, whose personal story of divine intervention carries more weight than policy specifics, speaks volumes about the current state of public confidence in established institutions—be they religious, academic, or governmental.
Despite the ongoing debates and the polarization inherent in these trends, there are signals that the overall decline in organized religion might be stalling—and even reversing for some demographics. After years of rising numbers among those who claim no religious affiliation, recent surveys suggest that this growth has plateaued. Not only are more young men returning to church, but there has also been a noticeable resurgence in attendance within Catholic and Orthodox parishes in regions like England and Wales.
Throughout my conversations, I encountered individuals like Christine Flynn near Milwaukee—women who had once embraced New Age beliefs and individualistic self-discovery, only to find themselves drawn back to the timeless institutions of faith. After years of skepticism and solitary inquiry, motherhood and personal circumstances led Flynn to explore Christianity more earnestly. Her journey from cynicism to a firm embrace of Catholicism, documented in her memoir, reflects a broader, global narrative in which both Christianity and Islam are experiencing significant growth outside of the Western world.
International trends indicate that while atheism remains present, its proportion seems poised to diminish further. In communities grappling with the legacies of ideological regimes and the shortcomings of a purely secular approach, many are rediscovering the appeal of both spiritual encounter and traditional religious concepts. As one priest involved with the Alpha program explained, pure secularism often leaves an emotional void that only a direct experience of the divine can fill.
In our search for meaning, humans have always been drawn to structures that impose order on the chaos of life. The late Catholic philosopher Charles Taylor argued that everyone seeks a “pattern of higher action” to connect their existence to a broader, transcendent narrative. Today, even those who do not subscribe to institutional faith share this deep, universal longing—a testament that in reshaping the way we express these impulses, modern society still echoes the ancient human need for the sacred.
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Growing up, the Bible’s stories deeply impacted me. Now, with over 15 years of preaching experience, I blend timeless teachings with modern technology, making them relevant for today’s world.
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