Theological Perspectives on Culture: Living in the Marketplace … · 2014. 12. 24. · Critique of H. Richard Niebuhr, Christ and Culture (1951) “Some elements of culture the church

Theological Perspectives on Theological Perspectives on

Culture: Living in the Marketplace Culture: Living in the Marketplace

with with Discernment and WisdomDiscernment and Wisdom

Church, Marketplace and Mission ConferenceChurch, Marketplace and Mission Conference

ACTS Seminaries, 30 October 2010ACTS Seminaries, 30 October 2010

Bruce L. Guenther, Ph.DBruce L. Guenther, Ph.D

MBBSMBBS--ACTS SeminariesACTS Seminaries

The Central QuestionThe Central Question

How do we as the church, as How do we as the church, as Christians, live as faithful Christians, live as faithful

disciples of Jesus in “the world” disciples of Jesus in “the world” (society, culture, marketplace)?(society, culture, marketplace)?

Life in “Exponential Times”Life in “Exponential Times”

1. We are experiencing possibilities that were never 1. We are experiencing possibilities that were never considered possible throughout most of human considered possible throughout most of human historyhistory

2. The lack of differentiation between Christians and 2. The lack of differentiation between Christians and others, and the level of uncritical “consumption” others, and the level of uncritical “consumption” and exposure to various influencesand exposure to various influences

3. The accelerated pace at which we are constantly 3. The accelerated pace at which we are constantly being forced to adapt and adjustbeing forced to adapt and adjust

The “Great Omission”The “Great Omission”

1. Historical reasons for the 1. Historical reasons for the ulturalultural isolation of isolation of evangelical Protestants evangelical Protestants

-- immigration/ethnic experienceimmigration/ethnic experience

-- influence of fundamentalisminfluence of fundamentalism

-- influence of dispensational influence of dispensational premillennialismpremillennialism

IroniesIronies

•• Despite isolation, they were not successful in Despite isolation, they were not successful in stopping the influence of the surrounding culture stopping the influence of the surrounding culture in their church communitiesin their church communities

•• The The isolation of evangelical Protestant groups helped facilitate the process of secularization within society

The “Great Omission”The “Great Omission”

2. Theological Imbalances2. Theological Imbalances

-- Careless dualisms (e.g., spiritual vs. secular)Careless dualisms (e.g., spiritual vs. secular)

-- Excessive priority given to the “Great Excessive priority given to the “Great Commission”Commission”

-- A spirituality that gives preferential attention to A spirituality that gives preferential attention to interior piety over societal involvementinterior piety over societal involvement

-- Priority given to doctrines of salvation and Priority given to doctrines of salvation and scripture over doctrines of creation and incarnationscripture over doctrines of creation and incarnation

-- Overemphasis on certain Overemphasis on certain ecclessiologicalecclessiological modelsmodels

What does the Bible say What does the Bible say

about culture?about culture?

“The “The World” in the Bible (Part 1)World” in the Bible (Part 1)

Psalm 24:1; Nahum 1:5;

Acts 17:24; 1 Peter 1:20

Creation or nature

“Earthmaking”




John 3:16-17; John 12:46

John 16:28; John 17:18; John 1:9-10

All peoples and what they have done in and with creation

“Worldmaking”




1 John 2:15-17; John 15:18-19

John 16:33; John 17:14; 1 John 5:4; Romans 12:2

Opposition to God and His purposes

“Worldliness”




Genesis 1:26-28; Psalm 8; John 17:6-19

The legitimacy of our calling

to be in the world

“The Creation or Cultural Mandate”

Culture: Definitions and DistinctionsCulture: Definitions and Distinctions

1. Originally a noun referring to cultivation, tillage

2. 16th-century - came to be associated with human development

3. 19th-century nuances- a process of intellectual, spiritual and aesthetic development (Arnold)- a people’s way of life (Taylor)


Broad Sense – “The Life of a People”

“that total process of human activity and that total result of that activity to which now the name culture, now the name civilization, is applied in common speech” (Richard Niebuhr, Christ and Culture)

“any human effort or labour expended upon the cosmos, to unearth its treasures and its riches and bring them into the service of humanity for the enrichment of human existence” (van Til, The Calvinist Concept of Culture)

Facets Facets of of CultureCulture(adapted from presentation by Ken Radant)(adapted from presentation by Ken Radant)

Narratives of meaning

Metaphysical and epistemological beliefs

Moral principles

Aesthetic ideals

Skill and knowledge inventories

Relational structures

Societal infrastructures

Means of self-expression


Narrow Sense Narrow Sense –– The “heartbeat” The “heartbeat” of a peopleof a people

“Culture is the world of human meaning, the sum total of a people’s works that express in objective form their highest beliefs, values, and hopes - in short, their vision of what it is to be fully human. Culture is a text that calls for interpretation” (Vanhoozer)

““the system of concepts and behaviours that embodies what a group values most and holds tightest”

“the lens through which a vision of life and social order “the lens through which a vision of life and social order is expressed, experienced, and explored: it is a lived is expressed, experienced, and explored: it is a lived worldview” (worldview” (VanhoozerVanhoozer))

Responding to Culture:Responding to Culture:

Testing your postureTesting your posture

Rank in order of priority (1 = most important) the following considerations when thinking about the relationship between culture and the church:

___ Prophetically identifying and challenging those aspects of contemporary culture that need to be resisted or replaced by Christians.

___ Exerting influence and pursuing partnerships within contemporary culture so that it becomes more consistent with Christian values and standards.

___ Encouraging Christians to find places of beauty and refuge in order to endure faithfully the difficulties and challenges they face in contemporary culture.

___ Redeeming aspects of contemporary culture by helping Christians evangelize and influence their individual spheres.

Basic Postures Towards CultureBasic Postures Towards Culture

PassivePassive Active

Encourage Christians to

endure faithfully their

difficulties and challenges

Exert power to make society

more consistent with Christian

values and standards

Change culture through

evangelism and influence of

Christians in their individual

spheres

Prophetically identify aspects of

culture to be resisted and

replaced

Howard Snyder, Models of the

Kingdom (1991)

1. as a Future Hope

2. as an Inner Spiritual Experience

3. as Mystical Communion of Saints

4. as Institutional Church

5. as a Counter system

6. as a Political State

7. as Christianized Culture

8. as an Earthly Utopia

Avery Dulles, Models of the

Church (1988)

1. Church as Institution

2. Church as Community

3. The Church as Sacrament

4. Church as Herald

5. Church as Servant

6. Church as Community of Disciples

Models of Church/World EngagementModels of Church/World Engagement(Adapted from Os Guinness, (Adapted from Os Guinness, The CallThe Call))

ModelModel OrientationOrientation EvaluationEvaluation ExampleExample

Danger of Compromising Jesus’ Way Danger of Compromising Jesus’ Way –– OverOver--engagementengagement

AbdicationAbdication The church is the The church is the world. There is no world. There is no distinction between distinction between the values and the values and methods usedmethods used

Church has nothing to Church has nothing to offer; God works offer; God works through peoplethrough people

Shelby, SpongShelby, Spong

Political Political ActivismActivism

Force is God’s Force is God’s method for bringing method for bringing about conformityabout conformity

Champions godly laws; Champions godly laws; coercing conformity is coercing conformity is counterproductivecounterproductive

Roman Roman Emperor Emperor ConstantineConstantine

Individual Individual ConversionistConversionist

Faith is a private Faith is a private matter; living in two matter; living in two different kingdoms different kingdoms with two with two

Respect for private Respect for private conscience; does not conscience; does not challenge societal challenge societal structures or ethicsstructures or ethics

Martin LutherMartin Luther

Models of Church/World EngagementModels of Church/World Engagement(Adapted from Os Guinness, (Adapted from Os Guinness, The CallThe Call))

ModelModel OrientationOrientation EvaluationEvaluation ExampleExample

TransformativeTransformative Persuasion, gradual Persuasion, gradual change, redemptive change, redemptive use of forceuse of force

Challenges societal Challenges societal structures to change; structures to change; may compromise Jesus’ may compromise Jesus’ wayway

John CalvinJohn Calvin

Confessing Confessing Church as Church as Alternative Alternative CommunityCommunity

Exemplify God’s Exemplify God’s community, Jesus’ community, Jesus’ way of life, way of life, overcome evil with overcome evil with goodgood

Jesus is the model for all Jesus is the model for all life; danger of isolation life; danger of isolation and lack of engagementand lack of engagement

AnabaptistsAnabaptists

Isolationist Isolationist (reclusive)(reclusive)

Develop a Develop a community within a community within a restricted restricted geographical regiongeographical region

Concrete expression of Concrete expression of God’s community; God’s community; isolation and lack of isolation and lack of engagementengagement

Dutch Dutch ProtestantsProtestants

Danger of Withdrawal Danger of Withdrawal –– UnderUnder--engagementengagement

Craig Carter, Rethinking Christ and

Culture (2006)

Three Christendom types that accept violent coercion

Christ legitimizing culture (e.g., the German Christians)

Christ humanizing culture (e.g., Martin Luther, Billy Graham)

Christ transforming culture (e.g., Augustine, Cromwell)

Three non-Christendom types that reject violent coercion

Christ transforming culture (e.g., William Penn, Martin L. King, Jr.)

Christ humanizing culture (e.g., Mother Teresa, Mennonite Central Committee)

Christ separating from culture (e.g., St. Benedict, the Amish)

Andy Crouch, Culture Making:

Recovering our Creative Calling (2008)

“Postures” Towards Culture

1. Condemning Culture: Fundamentalist Withdrawal

2. Critiquing Culture: Evangelical Engagement

3. Copying Culture: The Jesus Movement and CCM

4. Consuming Culture: Evangelicalism’s Present Tense

5. Cultivating Culture (nourishing and preserving what is best)

6. Creating Culture (innovation and creative beauty)

H. Richard Niebuhr, H. Richard Niebuhr, Christ and Christ and

CultureCulture (1951)(1951)

1. Christ Against Culture

2. Christ of Culture

3. Christ Above Culture

4. Christ and Culture in Paradox

5. Christ Transforming Culture

Critique of H. Richard Niebuhr, Critique of H. Richard Niebuhr,

Christ and CultureChrist and Culture (1951)(1951)

“Some elements of culture the church categorically rejects (pornography, tyranny, cultic idolatry). Other dimensions of culture it accepts within clear limits (economic production, commerce, the graphic arts, paying taxes for peacetime civil government). To still other dimensions of culture Christian faith gives a new motivation and coherence (agriculture, family life, literacy, conflict resolution, empowerment). Still others it strips of their claims to possess autonomous truth and value, and uses them as vehicles of communication (philosophy, language. Old Testament ritual, music). Still other forms of culture are created by the Christian churches (hospitals, service of the poor, generalized education)” (John Howard Yoder).

Critique of H. Richard Niebuhr, Critique of H. Richard Niebuhr,

Christ and CultureChrist and Culture (1951)(1951)

“Virtually every Christian group expressed in one way or another all five of the motifs. With respect to one cultural activity, they may typically express one motif, with respect to another they may characteristically adopt quite a different stance. Even with respect to a particular category of cultural activities, as regarding learning, the state, the arts, contemporary values, popular culture, business, leisure and so forth. Christians are likely to manifest something of all five of the attitudes” (George Marsden)

Contextualization: The Process of Contextualization: The Process of

Cultural Cultural Analysis and DiscernmentAnalysis and Discernment(adapted from Paul Hiebert, “Critical Contextualization”)(adapted from Paul Hiebert, “Critical Contextualization”)

1. Exegete culture - phenomenological description and analysis

2. Community exegesis of the scriptures related to questions raised by the culture under review

3. Critical response – making decisions and naming idolatries

4. Navigating acceptable pathways and compromises

The Magna Carta of contextualization: 1 Cor 9:22

Selected Bibliography Selected Bibliography

Carson, D.A. Carson, D.A. Christ and Culture Revisited. Grand Rapids: Christ and Culture Revisited. Grand Rapids: EerdmansEerdmans, , 2008.2008.

Carson, D.A. and John D. Woodbridge, eds. Carson, D.A. and John D. Woodbridge, eds. God and Culture: Essays God and Culture: Essays in Honor of Carl F. Henry. Grand Rapids: in Honor of Carl F. Henry. Grand Rapids: EerdmansEerdmans, 1993. , 1993.

Carter, Craig A. Carter, Craig A. Rethinking Christ and Culture: A PostRethinking Christ and Culture: A Post--Christendom Christendom Perspective. Grand Rapids: Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2007.Perspective. Grand Rapids: Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2007.

Crouch, Andy. Crouch, Andy. Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling. Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling. Downers Grove: Downers Grove: InterVarsityInterVarsity Press, 2008. Press, 2008.

Friesen, Duane K. Friesen, Duane K. Artists, Citizens, Philosophers Seeking the Peace of Artists, Citizens, Philosophers Seeking the Peace of the City: An Anabaptist Theology of Culture. the City: An Anabaptist Theology of Culture. ScottdaleScottdale: Herald Press, : Herald Press, 2000.2000.

HeieHeie, Harold, and Michael A. King, eds. , Harold, and Michael A. King, eds. Mutual Treasure: Seeking Mutual Treasure: Seeking Better Ways for Christians and Culture to Converse. Telford, PA: Better Ways for Christians and Culture to Converse. Telford, PA: CascadiaCascadia Publishing House, 2009.Publishing House, 2009.

Selected Bibliography Selected Bibliography

Moore, Terry Michael. Moore, Terry Michael. Culture Matters: A Call for Consensus on Culture Matters: A Call for Consensus on Christian Cultural Engagement. Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2007.Christian Cultural Engagement. Grand Rapids: Brazos Press, 2007.

Niebuhr, Richard. Niebuhr, Richard. Christ and Culture. New York: Harper & Row Christ and Culture. New York: Harper & Row Publishers, 1951.Publishers, 1951.

Stackhouse, John G., Jr. Stackhouse, John G., Jr. Making the Best of It: Following Christ in the Making the Best of It: Following Christ in the Real World. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008.Real World. New York: Oxford University Press, 2008.

Stott, John and Robert T. Stott, John and Robert T. CooteCoote, eds. , eds. Down to Earth: Studies in Down to Earth: Studies in Christianity and Culture. Grand Rapids: Christianity and Culture. Grand Rapids: EerdmansEerdmans, 1980., 1980.

VanhoozerVanhoozer, Kevin J., Charles A. Anderson, and Michael J. , Kevin J., Charles A. Anderson, and Michael J. SleasmanSleasman, , eds. eds. Everyday Theology: How to Read Cultural Texts and Interpret Everyday Theology: How to Read Cultural Texts and Interpret Trends. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2007.Trends. Grand Rapids: Baker Books, 2007.

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Theological Perspectives on Culture: Living in the Marketplace … · 2014. 12. 24. · Critique of H. Richard Niebuhr, Christ and Culture (1951) “Some elements of culture the church