Not So Different? (Church and Culture pt. 4)

In last two conversations of Church and Culture we took a look at the “Christ against Culture” model and the “Christ of Culture” model stating that they serve as the antithesis/opposite to one another. Yet despite their differences (of which there are many) the result of either posture is often the same: irrelevance to the world.

The irrelevance of the “against” posture is clear to see. Church communities that exist by praxis of escapism from the culture fail to find any common ground for conversation that can give birth to a mutually life-giving relationship between the Church and culture. The Church in this category is unable to speak any of the cultural language and finds its self unable to communicate effectively with the world around them. Further, the world sees the church in this posture as having nothing helpful (or even hopeful) to contribute; essentially the culture sees the Church as the “last” place to go for guidance and direction. The church in this posture becomes a holy huddle…wholly irrelevant.

By contrast of approach, yet with similar outcome, the “of” posture of the Church engages so deeply in the culture that the distinctives of the sacred community evaporate. Here the Church so immerses itself in the culture (by way of music, structure, ideology) that there is nothing “new” to be offered to the culture. As a result the culture doesn’t look to the Church for inspiration or direction because the Church looks just like the culture. The church looses its mission for sake of mimicking the world around them and fails to bring the type of fresh creativity that can inspire the culture towards the story of God.

How have you seen the irrelevance of the “against” posture in our culture?


How have you seen the irrelevance of the “of” posture in our culture?

OF Culture (Church and Culture pt. 3)

In our last conversation on this topic we discussed the “Christ against Culture” relationship. This conversation will focus on what could be seen as the antithesis to the “Christ Against” model:

Christ OF Culture

- states that God is transcendent and can be found in all human endeavors.
- the Church and culture are not it conflict.
- the Church embraces the world.
- uses cultural symbols and tools (rock music, theater seating, etc.) to communicate with the culture.
- mimics culture.

Examples: 20th century Protestant Liberalism and the Seeker Sensitive movement.

Where else do you see examples of this posturing? What healthy/unhealthy when the Church is postured this way?

Against Culture (Church and Culture pt. 2)

As we explore the relationship between the Church and culture let’s look at the first posturing Richard Niebuhr outlines (see Niebuhr’s “Christ & Culture”).

Christ Against Culture

- this position finds its footing on the sole authority of Christianity over the Christian.
- It rejects the world and any of culture’s claim to authority.
- the world here is seen as bad, something that needs escaping, and in turn doesn’t deal with systems of the world.
- creates an “Us vs. Them” mentality; at times antagonistic.
- creates a Christian sub-culture.

Examples: 20th century Christian Fundamentalism

Where else do you see examples of this posturing? What healthy/unhealthy when the Church is postured this way?

Church and Culture (pt. 1)

Disagreements (even arguments and church splits) arise in church circles over what is “appropriate” by way of dress, worship music, and even social policy as they relate to culture. Is there a proper relationship between the Church and culture? Richard Niebuhr’s classic theological discourse “Christ & Culture” articulates 5 different relationships between Christ (or the Church) and Culture that we’ll take a look at over a series of blog posts.

Some questions to get us thinking: Where have you seen examples of a dysfunctional relationship between the Church and culture? Where have you seen examples of a functional (or healthy) relationship between the Church and culture?

Avatar: A Shift In Culture

Last weekend my family and I went to go see the latest James Cameron blockbuster: Avatar. With large buckets of popcorn and our 3-D glasses we were ready to be taken away to another world…another reality.

The movie was amazing; filled with special effects that would make George Lucas want to re-re-release the Star Wars franchise.

Yet lying beneath the layers of CGI is a storyline that serves as a sign post to our shifting culture. Avatar tells the story of exploration, discovery, conquest, and the progress that emerges from such conquests. This story is nothing new; it is found all through the history of cinema as well as through our collective American history. This is the story of how Columbus “discovered” America and “how the West was won”. The difference here is that a shift in how the story is being told is taking place.

Both Columbus and the expansion of the West (and the other “stories” like them) have been told through the prevailing worldview of a single perspective…the perspective of the majority (the group that holds the most power and influence). This is what modernity has brought us: a single story.

However the pitfall of modernity is that it claims only one story (the story of the majority) and in effect silences (through violence, oppression, or ignorance) all of the “other” stories that are speaking from different vantage points. Avatar serves as an indicator to the shift from a modern to a postmodern culture as it tells the story from the alternative vantage point (in relation the prevailing story).

One could easily recognize that the alternative story has always been there (Native Americans have always had an alternative story to the expansion of the West) but what points to a cultural shift is that this alternative story is being heard.

Middleton and Walsh write: “It is not just that the ‘Columbus story’ is being questioned or retold; more fundamental is the fact that aboriginal voices now have a significant hearing among us.” (p.12 Truth Is Stranger Than It Used to Be)

The shift in “story telling” can become unsettling and disorienting for many, particularly those who have ascribed to the prevailing story (more on this in another blog post). However I also can’t help but grow increasingly hopeful that in the midst of this shift there lies the great possibility that the God story might weave itself among us in new and surprising ways.

As the telling and hearing of the alternative stories increases, what is lost and what is gained?
How might the “alternative story” shape the way we think about and communicate the Gospel?

Zondervan and Authors Act Justly

A few weeks ago I posted "Christian Books Pimping Culture" about a new book Zondervan released with racially insensitive material. Zondervan's response...nothing short of exceptional (read Zondervan's response from Soong-Chan Rah's blog).



Zondervan (and authors Mike Foster and Jud Wilhite) not only acknowledged that their material was racially insensitive, but took their apology the full distance: pulling all copies of the books and suspending promotion of the book until the material could be re-worked. Zondervan also went one step more...the hiring of a new editor in chief of all Zondervan products.



It would have been easy for Zondervan to dismiss the statements made about Deadly Viper (it certainly would been the least costly for business). Zondervan's corrective steps clearly shows that (like all of us) they are imperfect and make mistakes, yet through this they have put on display a level of integrity that shows how we all should respond when we hurt our brothers and sisters: we repent - acknowledge our wrong and go the distance to correct our error.

I Knew It, U2 Is Satanic

I am at a loss for words on this one...It's videos like this that make me want to turn and run the other way when I hear the word "Christian" (check out this video on U2).

What causes people to produce videos like this? Why do some Christians spend so much time (and money) communicating what they are against rather than what they are for? As followers of Jesus, how should we posture ourselves with art and culture?