#11: Most Christians (including Catholics) Embrace the Agenda of Antichrist Outlined by St. John Henry Cardinal Newman
In the second of his four lectures on Antichrist, “The Patristical Idea of Antichrist,” St. John Henry Cardinal Newman described what he saw as a burgeoning movement of apostasy among Christian nations—perhaps a harbinger of the Great Apostasy. In its various features, he saw the agenda of Antichrist at work.
What is chilling about his words is the fact that so many Christians today—including many Catholics—fully agree with, or at least do not object to this agenda. Much of it is considered to be part of our supposedly Western heritage.
Even more interesting, Newman describes how Christians are seduced into complying with Antichrist’s agenda. Much of what he describes is evident in contemporary “conservatism,” which has reduced most of politics to one issue: wealth—whether through a “better economy,” or the reduction of taxes. This, he said, is, and will be used as cover to institute Antichrist’s agenda among the nations, and will culminate with the arrival Antichrist himself.
We leave the reader to their own conclusions.
Is the enemy of Christ, and His Church, to arise out of a certain special falling away from God? And is there no reason to fear that some such Apostasy is gradually preparing, gathering, hastening on in this very day?
For is there not at this very time a special effort made almost all over the world, that is, every here and there, more or less in sight or out of sight, in this or that place, but most visibly or formidably in its most civilized and powerful parts, an effort to do without Religion?
Is there not an opinion avowed and growing, that a nation has nothing to do with Religion; that it is merely a matter for each man’s own conscience?—which is all one with saying that we may let the Truth fail from the earth without trying to continue it in and on after our time.
Is there not a vigorous and united movement in all countries to cast down the Church of Christ from power and place?
Is there not a feverish and ever-busy endeavor to get rid of the necessity of Religion in public transactions? For example, an attempt to get rid of oaths, under a pretense that they are too sacred for affairs of common life, instead of providing that they be taken more reverently and more suitably?
An attempt to educate without Religion?—that is, by putting all forms of Religion together, which comes to the same thing?
An attempt to enforce temperance, and the virtues which flow from it, without Religion, by means of Societies which are built on mere principles of utility?
An attempt to make expedience, and not truth, the end and the rule of measures of State and the enactments of Law?
An attempt to make numbers, and not the Truth, the ground of maintaining, or not maintaining, this or that creed, as if we had any reason whatever in Scripture for thinking that the many will be in the right, and the few in the wrong?
An attempt to deprive the Bible of its one meaning to the exclusion of all other, to make people think that it may have an hundred meanings all equally good, or, in other words, that it has no meaning at all, is a dead letter, and may be put aside?
An attempt to supersede Religion altogether, as far as it is external or objective, as far as it is displayed in ordinances, or can be expressed by written words—to confine it to our inward feelings, and thus, considering how variable, how evanescent our feelings are, an attempt, in fact, to destroy Religion?
Surely, there is at this day a confederacy of evil, marshalling its hosts from all parts of the world, organizing itself, taking its measures, enclosing the Church of Christ as in a net, and preparing the way for a general Apostasy from it. Whether this very Apostasy is to give birth to Antichrist, or whether he is still to be delayed, as he has already been delayed so long, we cannot know; but at any rate this Apostasy, and all its tokens and instruments, are of the Evil One, and savor of death. Far be it from any of us to be of those simple ones who are taken in that snare which is circling around us! Far be it from us to be seduced with the fair promises in which Satan is sure to hide his poison!
Do you think he is so unskillful in his craft as to ask you openly and plainly to join him in his warfare against the Truth? No; he offers you baits to tempt you.
He promises you civil liberty; he promises you equality; he promises you trade and wealth; he promises you a remission of taxes; he promises you reform. This is the way in which he conceals from you the kind of work to which he is putting you; he tempts you to rail against your rulers and superiors; he does so himself, and induces you to imitate him; or he promises you illumination—he offers you knowledge, science, philosophy, enlargement of mind. He scoffs at times gone by; he scoffs at every institution which reveres them. He prompts you what to say, and then listens to you, and praises you, and encourages you. He bids you mount aloft. He shows you how to become as gods. Then he laughs and jokes with you, and gets intimate with you; he takes your hand, and gets his fingers between yours, and grasps them, and then you are his.
Shall we Christians allow ourselves to have lot or part in this matter? Shall we, even with our little finger, help on the Mystery of Iniquity, which is travailing for birth, and convulsing the earth with its pangs? “O my soul, come not thou into their secret; unto their assembly, mine honor, be not thou united.” [Gen. 49:6] “What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? Wherefore, come out from among them, and be ye separate” [2 Cor. 6:14]… lest you be workers together with God’s enemies, and be opening the way for the Man of Sin, the son of perdition.