Why Are Christians So Bad

Dr. Mark Coppenger, PhD

It’s only fair that we evaluate a worldview or religion by the love and life of its adherents, and to that end, we would naturally seek the broadest cross-section of examples. But when it comes to Christianity, the discussion is often limited to the most egregious individuals and most scandalous events. Does atheism always have to answer for Stalin or Hitler or Mao? It doesn’t seem so. So, why then are Christians always put on the defensive, asked to explain away any and all instances of hypocrisy and bad faith, real or imagined? In this essay, Dr. Mark Coppenger takes up the challenge, “If Christianity is so good, why are Christians so bad?” and gives honest answers as well as an honest appraisal of the question and the presuppositions that lie behind it.