How can we, seeking to follow Christ, have a positive relationship with the prevailing culture, which is not interested in following Christ - and may discourage, disparage or oppose it? It may seem like a new question, but it isn't. Christians of all ages, from Greco-Roman culture, through the Middle Ages, the Enlightment and Modernity and into the current trend toward Postmodernity - have had to grapple with how to follow well within a culture that does not share Christian assumptions or conclusions.
First, I think we need to see culture not as a bad thing, as the enemy (and condemn it) - or as unequivically good (and consume it) - or as irrelevent (and be complacent about it). But, rather, we need to see culture as a good thing, but fallen - something that, like our heart, needs redemption. The picture used on Sunday of a castle ruin - which might be, in some sense, beautiful - but where you could really only see glimpses of the former beauty of the castle - the beauty it once had and was originally meant to have - is one possible way to look at culture (and perhaps all other things needing redemption).
With this in mind, two possible postures toward culture to consider are the posture of cultivation and the posture of creativity. The cultivator first understands that there is good in culture - that we are all made in God's image and reflect it one way or another - well or poorly - and is able to find the good and bring it out, like a gardener encouraging the flowers and removing the rocks and weeds. The creator imitates God in creating what is good, beautiful and true. Either way, we cannot really interact well with culture unless we work to understand ourselves, our fellow men and women and God's truth expressed in creation and in his Word.
(Thanks to Andy Crouch and the Christian Vision Project for helping to categorize our thinking)
2 comments:
This sounds really neat. I missed things on sunday, but seems that you brought up some very good ideas and illustrations to foster a lot of new thinking. See you at small group!
In order to Engage culture properly we have to learn how to communicate to it. It helps to think of ourselves as a cultivating gardner or as a creative artist innovating new ways of reflecting the good of culture, but how do we cultivate or create a nurturing atmosphere? We must speak our brother or sisters "language."
What I mean by this is identifying what matters most to those engrossed in culture (Church, Business, Education, Family, Arts & Entertainment, Media, Politics...) Some may value these things and not even realize it. Understanding what we value/relate to most is essential for beggining a foundation to influencing our culture.
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