Chemical Holiness & More

Less than a century ago modern medicine edged Christianity out of physical healing as a primary business. Today when Christians have heart attacks we go to the emergency room not to church. Sure, we pray too, but not as the primary means of healing but secondary. We gave up physical healing to modern medicine.

But, we still had spiritual change as our domain. We helped people overcome sin, become better husbands or fathers, conquer lying, banish lust, or release bitterness. Altering behavior was still the church's realm. OK, you might argue that psychology edged in on us a bit. But we always claimed God's sanctifying power was more effective (and, at least considerably cheaper) than psychotherapy. Life change was still our "market." If a person had trouble with lust or rage, going to church might provide spiritual solutions for the behavior adjustment they needed. God's grace could change and cleanse a person from these sins and fill them with new sweet traits of holiness.

However, we are increasingly losing the behavior-change market to medicine. Behavior can be altered with a pill. The growth industry of behavior-altering drugs will soon make it possible to get a prescription to conquer lust, banish rage, produce a meek and quiet spirit or a sensitivity to the needs of others. Face it, for many, a prescription to Prozac already appears to do more sanctification than a trip to the altar. Liste