The Church 5: Western Christians in a Post-Christian Culture—Merry Christmas! Introduction: This brief reflection on a major issue is meant to stir some discussion: I truly hope it brings some change. The larger issue is, “How are Christians to Live as Christians in a Post-Christian Culture?” In order to offer a crisp reflection on an otherwise huge topic, I will focus this on the matter of Christmas. And, Merry Christmas to all reading this post this month! The subject of mission involves, among many other things, an understanding of the Church as a distinct entity—Christ-focussed—within a larger society that reaches out to that society. A “Christian” holiday gets to the heart of such a matter. The Present Post-Christian Situation Living in England some years ago, we were amazed to find children in the local Church of England primary school who did not know what Easter was about and who were encouraged to practice Buddhist meditation as an exercise in the classr