Attacks on Christianity Introduction

In a live presentation during Liberty 2013, Tim Goeglein, Focus on the Family’s Vice
President of External and Government Relations, discusses the attacks on Christianity. While
the attacks are many, the major ones are attacks on marriage, the sacredness of human life,
and religious liberty. This paper focuses on two aspects: (1) Goeglein’s arguments about
political outlooks by American leaders, President Reagan and Joe Biden, and (2) attacks on
three major social institutions, including marriage, life, and religious liberty.
Political Leaders’ Outlooks on America

According to Tim Goeglein, President Reagan had a very positive outlook on
America. This positive attitude occurred although he ascended to power during a period
Americans were at one of their lowest points in terms of national self-confidence, courtesy of
a difficult economic situation characterized by high inflation and the national humiliation
brought about by the year-long detention of Americans in Iran. His belief in the greatness of
America could be seen in the ways he described the country as “an exceptional country” or “a
city shining on a hill (Liberty University, n.d.).”
The current President’s outlook is similar to Reagan’s; Joe Biden, too, believes in the
greatness of America. Three areas of governance that best bring out the commonality
between the two Presidents are economy, employment, and the need to restore America’s
global standing. However, the two Presidents had different ideas of how to achieve these
ends. For example, while Reagan envisioned improving Americans’ economic well-being by
curbing inflation and increasing employment, Biden has proposed to grow the economy from
the middle out and from the bottom up, thereby enhancing the quality of livelihoods (The
White House, n.d.).

3

The Three Major Attacks: Marriage, Life, and Religious Liberty
Tim Goeglein discusses three powerful attacks on the Christian foundations of
America: attacks on the institution of marriage, the sanctity of human life, and religious
liberty. Attacks on marriage take the form of attempts to use the courts to redefine marriage;
redefinitions that deviate from the biblical one: “…a man shall leave his father and his
mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh (Gen. 2:24, NASB).” A
Supreme Court decision that legitimized these attacks was one rendered in the summer of
2013; the ruling stated that there was no federal definition of marriage.
The second set of attacks – on the holiness of human life – seek to legalize abortion
by redefining when human life begins. A famous example is the 1973 decision by the
Supreme Court in Roe v. Wade. These attacks go against the Scriptures that uphold the
sacredness of human life from womb to tomb: “The LORD called Me from the womb; From
the body of My mother, He named Me (Is. 49:1b, NASB).” Regarding attacks on religious
liberty, the Supreme Court’s 1961 ruling in Torcaso v. Watkins stands out. Here, the Court
abolished a Maryland requirement that to be elected or appointed to a public office, one had
to proclaim their belief in God publicly.
Finally, assaults on religious liberty violate God’s command to what may be
considered governmental authorities: “Let my people go, so they may worship me (Ex. 9:1b,
NIV).” They also violate the First Amendment’s Free Exercise Clause, which grants citizens
the right to practice their religion the way they please if it does not hurt a “compelling”
governmental interest or “public morals.” Three recent cases demonstrate that these attacks
persist to this day. The first is the 2020 Espinoza v. Montana Department of Revenue, a case
in which the Court declared unconstitutional a Montana state law that provides funding for
education while excluding, from the program, religious education electives (Oyez, 2022). The
Court declared that the provision violates the federal Constitution’s Free Exercise Clause.

4
The second is the 2021 Fulton v. City of Philadelphia, a lawsuit in which the Court
faulted the City of Philadelphia for refusing to engage Catholic Social Services (CSS) to
provide foster care services (ACLU, 2021). The faith-based organization had refused to
approve same-sex couples as foster parents. The Court held that the City’s decision violated
CSS’ right to Free Exercise Clause. The third is the 2020 Our Lady of Guadalupe School v.
Morrissey-Berru, a case in which a disgruntled employee accused her employer, a religious
organization, of forcing her to carry out religious functions she did not believe in.

What I Can do About the Situation

In light of these attacks, I do not believe the country is moving in the right direction,
especially for a country founded on Christian principles and doctrines. Consequently, I agree
with Goeglein when he says that as Christians, we must do something urgently to influence
the nation’s culture in ways that glorify God (Liberty University, n.d.). One of the things I
can do is not seek to Christianize my sphere of influence but to be of service to others,
whether Christian or not. That way, I will draw them to God.
Conclusion

I agree with Goeglein that in the wake of systemic and societal opposition to
Christianity, the best thing I can do as a believer is serve mankind wholeheartedly regardless
of their religious leaning or lack of it. I am likely to win them more than I could ever hope to
by preaching to them through my sincere service.

5

References

ACLU. (2021, November 8). Fulton v. City of Philadephia. ACLU.
https://www.aclu.org/cases/fulton-v-city-philadelphia
Liberty University. (n.d.). Tim Goeglein – Part 1. Liberty University.
https://screenrec.com/share/MZXLip4acT
Liberty University. (n.d.). Tim Goeglein – Part 2. Liberty University.
https://screenrec.com/share/402Oo9WBXr
Oyez. (2022). Cases – Free exercise of religion. Oyez. https://www.oyez.org/issues/339
The White House. (n.d.). The build back better framework: President Biden’s plan to rebuild
the middle class. The White House. https://www.whitehouse.gov/build-back-better/