Australian political commentator John Mac Ghlionn has written an insightful piece for Sky News Australia, addressing a critical issue within Christianity in the nation: namely, the church’s increasing tendency to adjust its teachings to align with secular values, which is contributing to the decline of the faith.
Drawing from John West’s book Stockholm Syndrome Christianity: Why America’s Christian Leaders Are Failing—and What We Can Do About It, Mac Ghlionn highlights how many Christian leaders, in an effort to remain “relevant,” have compromised biblical teachings on issues like marriage, sexuality, and religious liberty.
He points out that in 1971, 86% of Australians identified as Christian, but that number has now dropped to nearly half. While secular hostility is often blamed for this decline, Mac Ghlionn argues that the real issue is the willingness of many Christian leaders to align themselves with cultural elites, abandoning traditional Christian values in the process.
Mac Ghlionn writes:
“When Christians distance themselves from biblical truth in order to seem compassionate or open-minded, they end up supporting ideologies that contradict the core of what Christianity teaches.
Fear of rejection by the broader culture often drives this behavior: losing respect from politicians, academics, or media influencers can feel like a kind of social death.”
Rather than endure ridicule, Christian leaders trim doctrine until it neatly fits secular norms.”
He’s exactly correct.
Mac Ghlionn argues that when church leaders dilute their teachings to fit worldly standards, they weaken the church’s message and fail to offer a distinct alternative to the culture. Instead of promoting moral conviction and self-sacrifice, many churches have shifted toward a Christianity focused on political correctness and personal fulfilment. This shift, he warns, has led to a watered-down version of Christianity that resembles motivational platitudes rather than a transformative call to follow Christ.
Drawing a parallel with Stockholm Syndrome, Mac Ghlionn explains that the church has become captive to society’s changing values, and as leaders compromise biblical truths, they diminish the gospel’s impact. This internal erosion of the faith is, he argues, a more dangerous threat than external secular hostility because it results in confusion and a loss of conviction among believers.
You can read the full piece at Sky News Australia or by clicking here.
