Skillet’s John Cooper Urges Christians To Be Vigilant to Guard Against ‘Woke Ideology’ And Relativism

John Cooper
Skillet frontman John Cooper |

John Cooper, Skillet bassist and vocalist, has released a scathing criticism of "woke theology" and "moral relativism," which he claims has infiltrated the Church. He advised Christians to be "extremely vigilant about the Word of God" in order to counteract certain false teaching.

Cooper disclosed on Abby Johnson's famous podcast "Politely Rude" that he was surprised to learn that people no longer believe in "absolute truth."

"I didn't even know that would be a possibility. I studied postmodernism in college, but I never thought that anyone would actually build a society upon it because it's so untenable," he was quoted saying by the Christian Post.

According to the Grammy-nominated artist, he finds it scary that "philosophy" has crept into Christianity.

"You can't believe in God but not believe in absolute truth because one negates the other. Yet that is what's actually happening in Christianity," he said.

The rocker said he's "outspoken" about what he believes are "scary" changes unfolding in culture.

"We need to be extremely vigilant about the Word of God," he stressed.

"It is wrecking Christianity," he said of the culture of "relativism" in the U.S.

Cooper, who recently published a book titled "Awake & Alive To Truth: Finding Truth In The Chaos Of A Relativistic World," observed that deconstructionism and cynicism are two tenets of postmodernism.

He commented on the amount of prominent Christian figures who have abandoned the church in recent years, including "I Kissed Dating Goodbye" author Joshua Harris and longtime Desiring God contributor Paul Maxwell.

"I do think it's a pretty big warning to all of us to build your life on top of the Words of Jesus Christ," he said. "We need to continue to build our lives upon that, or we will get destroyed ... and I do think that that has happened to a lot of our pastors."

He also cautioned that the same thing might happen to someone who is not steadfast in God's Word, noting that the "woke" society claims to be "more Christian than Christ."

"That's what we have to watch out for," he warned.

Cooper claims that emotionalism is part of the "woke ideology" that has infiltrated the Church, and that many people today worship Jesus because it "feels good," rather than make Him the Lord of their lives.

"What Jesus requires is actually Lordship, and with Lordship comes an understanding that I am not my own God," he said. "This isn't about what makes me emotionally feel good. This is about the Lordship of Christ, He is God, and I am not."

CP noted from a recent study from Barna that two-thirds of teens and young adults (65%) believe that "all religions will lead to everlasting life," compared to 58 percent of teens and young adults polled in 2018. Furthermore, compared to only 25% in 2018, 31% of teenagers and young adults now "strongly agree" that what is "morally right and wrong changes with time, depending on the society."

Furthermore, a previous research from Barna identified Gen Z as a "post-Christian" generation with only 4% claiming that they hold onto their belief in Christianity.