WAGNER: Time's up for the USA — unless there's Christian revival

Many great empires have risen and fallen over the centuries. None of them managed to survive beyond a few hundred years or so. In 1976, British Lieutenant-General Sir John Bagot Glubb released a short book entitled, The Fate of Empires and Search for Survival in which he described the various stages empires go through from start to finish.Then, in 2020, Cal Thomas, a well-known conservative columnist, released an interpretation of Sir John Glubb’s book with a focus on the contemporary US entitled, America's Expiration Date: The Fall of Empires and Superpowers . . . and the Future of the United States.Thomas summarizes his basic point this way: “Over the past 3,000 years, every great nation or empire lost its way in an average of a mere 250 years. I will do the math for you. On July 4 2026, the United States of America will be 250 years old. What makes us think we will be protected from the fate of other great nations, which often collapsed under the weight of financial debt, moral rot and military overextension?”As Thomas explains, General Glubb identified certain particular stages in the lives of the empires or great nations. First there is the age of pioneers, then the age of conquests, the age of commerce, the age of affluence, the age of intellect and finally the age of decadence..The empires did not simply disappear after about 250 years, but declined precipitously and continuously until they no longer played significant roles in world affairs.Thomas then analyses the history of eight major empires: the Persian, Roman, Byzantine, Arab, Spanish, Ottoman, British and Russian, and explains to what degree each followed the pattern outlined by Glubb.This is all laid out in order to provide background for the final and most important part of the book: an analysis of the current United States.Clearly, the US (like Canada) is in a severe decline politically, economically, morally and especially, religiously. In Thomas’ view, the US is now in the final stage, the age of decadence. Among the list of destructive trends undermining the country, the erosion of Christian influence and breakdown of the traditional family are the most significant. Thomas notes that, “There once was a time when Christian values and belief were at least tolerated if not respected, but that time has passed.”Political activity is insufficient to reverse America’s decline. Fixing things in the government would be good, but that isn’t enough. Instead, there must be a widespread religious revival.Thomas includes a list of suggested actions for concerned citizens to take, such as: avoiding support of ungodly entertainment and celebrities, persevering in difficult marriages, going to church and being a good Christian witness, avoiding materialism and covetousness, voting for good candidates, and, very importantly, “Remove your children from government schools and either homeschool them or send them to good Christian schools. Do not send them to universities that have largely become propaganda centers for secular progressives.”There is some reason for hope, but it requires a form of divine intervention such as what occurred in the past: “America may be nearing the end of its road. It has approached the end before. Spiritual revivals, not politicians, rescued us then from the abyss.”With American history in mind Thomas writes, “The social impact of revivals in the United States, as well as in England, was astounding. Crime, drunkenness and many other social evils were addressed in ways no politician could. When hearts are changed, attitudes are changed, and the result is a changed nation. It never works from the top down but always from the bottom up — or more precisely, from the inside out.”The US has been the most powerful nation in the world for many decades. Some people have viewed it as an empire. Historically, all empires have fallen after periods of affluence and decadence and there’s no reason to believe America’s experience will be any different.Supporting a particular political party or candidate will not restore America’s greatness — only God can do that. Indeed, the decline of the country has continued under presidents of both major political parties, although it’s clear that the Democrats have a more explicitly anti-Christian stance.The current president, Joe Biden, seems particularly intent on running his country into the ground.Although Canada has never been a major power, its decline is obvious, too. For both nations, only a religious revival can restore the social basis of freedom and prosperity. Without something along these lines, the quality of life and democratic rights we have enjoyed for several generations will become just a wistful memory.

WAGNER: Time's up for the USA — unless there's Christian revival

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