Welcome to Breakpoint, a daily look at an ever-changing culture through the lens of unchanging truth.

For the Colson Center, I'm John Stone Street.

Well, critics often argue that much of what Christians think of as biblical truth and morality today are mere inventions of late 20th century American conservatism.

So, Christian sexual ethics, they're products of 1990s purity

culture, claims about the exclusivity of Christ. Those are remnants of Western ideological

imperialism. And of course, the pro-life movement, that was invented by Jerry Falwell and Pat

Robertson to get Ronald Reagan in office in the 80s. However, the first Christians were known

and often attacked for many

of the same beliefs and same practices that Christians are today, just without the lions. In fact,

just like the creeds of the early church clarified what Christians should believe, there are

other writings from that time that clarify how Christians should live. For example, Justin Martyr's

beautiful description of the Christian worship service would fit what most of us still experience

each Sunday today. Quote, on the day called Sunday, all who live in cities are in the country

gathered together in one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read,

as long as time permits.

Then, when the reader has ceased, the president verbally instructs and exhorts the imitation

of these good things.

Then we all rise together and pray, and as we before said, when our prayer is ended, bread and

wine and water are brought, and the president, and like manner, offers prayers and

thanksgivings according to his ability and the people assent saying, amen. And then there's

the epistle to Dignitas, written by a Christian to a non-believing friend in the second or third

century. He described the Christian's way of life this way. Quote, Christians dwell in their own

...