"If the devil can take your faith he can take your future."
—Billy Graham
A crisis of faith can be a breakdown in our capacity to trust in God personally, or it can be the wholesale removal of God from our society. Either way, when faith is absent, we are left with a void that cannot support a future.
Faith and God were kicked out of public schools more than 60 years ago, when teachers were sanctioned if any religious information was taught. There could be no discussion of the concept of a higher purpose, or even forgiveness for those who hurt you, and since that time, even Sunday church attendance has dropped 30%.
In the 50s and 60s, almost 70% of Americans identified as regular churchgoers. Sunday mornings were filled with packed pews, and religious institutions played a central role in both spiritual and social life, embedding moral standards and respect for others into the fabric of community life. For many, church was more than a place of worship—it was a hub of local events, charitable efforts, and social gatherings, that are now smaller and less impactful on communities as a whole. These are losses of faith we cannot sustain, and as Billy Graham predicted, we are in danger of a constantly degraded future.
When we talk about loss of faith, consider the man in prison. His family may have abandoned him, he’s in his 30s (34%), and committed a drug violation (42%) and will spend between 5 and 15 years in prison (49%).
According to studies, he probably didn’t have a father in the home, he never witnessed anyone go to work 40 hours a week, and may have developed a chip on his shoulder to fend off bullies and gang leaders. He suffered childhood trauma. Someone in his family was shot, he was sexually assaulted, or he was hungry most of the time or abandoned. Something. Then there was someone in his home or neighborhood who used alcohol, drugs or both. He was used to that, and selling or using was part of his environment. Aggression was his defense against those he didn’t trust, and he trusted very few.
Now he’s in jail or prison, and thankfully, God is there. In spite of a lifetime of woe, loss, and deprivation, the spirit of God has been transforming men and women behind bars forever. As far back as the second century, it is written that Christians were “ridiculed for their concern for the imprisoned.” Ancient Christians saw care for prisoners as emblematic of the justice and mercy to which Jesus had called them, so they showed up, sometimes in large numbers, to care for and encourage prisoners, bringing food, bribing their way inside, and advocating for humane treatment.
The pendulum is swinging: Now, in the U.S., religious services in penal institutions are generally allowed. For those with no faith and high walls around their hearts, the future is generally bleak. But for those who find faith in God behind bars, there can be miraculous change and acceptance that opens hearts and minds, healing past trauma, and opening the door to successful reentry and a future worth living for.
Jim
