Most British Christians see four of the Bible's Ten Commandments as unimportant in the modern day, if a recent YouGov survey is to be believed.
The famous command against idolatry is seen as irrelevant to most Brits, including Christians, only 43 per cent of whom thought the Mosaic ban on idols was still 'an important principle to live by'. Just 36 per cent of British believers said the tenet 'I am the Lord thy God, You shall have no other God before me', was still relevant today.
That general British care for the Ten Commandments may have dwindled is not what's interesting – the UK is an increasingly post-Christian and diverse, multicultural society in which it's easy to see how commands against 'taking the Lord's name in vain' are no longer seen as important. But if the Christian responses to the survey are accurate, they suggest troubling and potentially destructive trends for the Church.
It's worth noting of course that surveys have limits: it's not clear for example whether those designated as 'Christian' see their faith in simply nominal terms, or if those polled represent more fervent believers. The precise questions are significant too: 'idols' in the survey were defined as 'statues or symbols', but Christian tradition has a far deeper understanding of the concept.
Which is actually the point. Warning against idolatry sounds archaic, hysterical and rather illiberal these days, but it's part of an vital thread running through the story of Scripture.
The instinct to bow down to that which is other than God is frequently drawn by the prophets as the biggest threat to faith and human flourishing. And 'idolatry' was never just about 'golden calves' – it points to the human heart and our persistent longing for 'more'. Money, sex and power are the more familiar 'idols' of today, but what would the 21<sup>st century West know about them?
Popular pastor Tim Keller has written eloquently on the subject of 'idols': his book Counterfeit Gods thoughtfully exposes how unfaithfulness to God is about far more than bowing to statues of wood and stone. We all love things, he says, and whatever we love most – whatever we'd do almost anything for – thereby becomes an idol in our lives. It dominates our thoughts and dreams and directs our steps. Any 'idol' can start out as something good, a desire to be successful for example, but gets perverted when 'success' becomes the primary motivator for our existence, and warps our humanity in the process.
Like the silent statues, these contemporary gods also give nothing in return for human allegiance. They promise much, but in truth only make demand upon demand. The ultimate fulfilment we long for from a person, place or career never quite comes. Not only are we disappointed but we are corrupted and controlled: like an addict we are drained and misled in our quest for 'more'.
Understanding 'idolatry' then is key to understanding humanity, and what 'sin' is really about. As the New Testament scholar N T Wright put it, 'sin' is not simply wrongdoing but an organic 'failure to be genuinely human' – rooted in worshipping that which is other than God. It is humanity out of step with its purpose.
Ironically, Wright says, human beings give idols their power by worshipping them, essentially creating their own enemies. The cross of Christ, he suggests, defeats evil by drawing us in worship to the true self-giving face of God – and so our false idols are displaced. That's the good news: we love our idols but we don't have to. They exist because we put them there, and by God's grace we can tear them down – and look to something better.
As the Bishop of Chelmsford, Stephen Cottrell, told The Telegraph, the Ten Commandments are not about mere-rule keeping but enabling human flourishing. He said: 'Whether it is celebrity, wealth, a certain designer label pair of jeans jeans or a make of car, we have all constructed a sense of worth in the desire to own and possess certain things that we believe will give value.
'None of it works; or perhaps more accurately we should say it works just enough to get you hooked. Without being warned of the dangers of idolatry, we just become a society of junkies.'
Across the Scriptures we see that despite the warnings of the Law, the Prophets and Christ himself, the people of God consistently stray toward idolatry. In that light, it's not something the Church today can afford to ignore. It's nice that we can all agree that commands about not stealing or killing are good, but divine wisdom does go deeper than that.
One can imagine why austere commands written millennia ago might not be thought of as relevant today. But in Scripture, it's never really about the rules, but about the human heart. It's less to do with bowing down than it is to do with true love, and the ways we fall short.
And that is pretty relevant.
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