Please complete the following sentence ….
“Having faith in terms of historic Christian orthodoxy* in the 21st century post-Christendom West sometimes feels a bit like ….”
…. being a Tasmanian Tiger who suddenly reappears in downtown Hobart … (OK I was reading a book on Tasmania a while ago – thks Sarah!)
Imagine the reactions:
Genuine surprise – I thought you were all extinct by now! Sorry, but there is no place for you in the modern world any more you know.
Mild alarm – (thinks) umm, are you the dangerous sort of tiger, you know, one of those nasty fundamentalist types who wants power to make everyone should live the way you want them to?
Pity – are you not rather lonely?
Bafflement – why do you exist? Are you not an evolutionary dead end? Would you not rather be a successful species like a possum, wallaby or even a Tasmanian Devil?
Anger – you are a danger to civilisation and need to be eradicated once and for all, and I’m going to get my gun …
Welcome back! – we miss you! (I’m feeling optimistic)
Other reactions? Feel welcome to add some ….
* You know the sort of thing = believing in the triune creator God who works his purposes out in the localised story of a particular people; incarnation – Jesus both God and man; miracles; the death and resurrection of the Messiah; his ascension; inspiration of the Word through the Holy Spirit; the future return of King Jesus; a new creation to come; future justice for all etc
FaithinIreland 
Ummm… Not sure I follow the thread of this to be honest…
Hello Ivan and welcome. Just musing on how increasingly in our culture, commited orthodox Christian belief is assumed to be on its way to extinction, if not already there. And so when it appears, it is a surprising oddity that does not really ‘belong’ in the modern world …