Redeeming the Culture?
FRONTLINE Volume 34 • Number 1
Many contemporary Christians propose that redeeming the culture is an important part of what Christ calls them to do. The authors of the following articles will examine that proposal. At the outset, a few observations are in order.
First, no such thing as “culture” exists in the abstract. You cannot find culture anywhere. All you can find is a multiplicity of cultures. You can respond to this or that culture, but not to culture per se.
Second, no human society ever exists without some culture or other. We never speak a cultureless language, read a cultureless book, eat a cultureless meal, or listen to cultureless music. All of us participate in at least one culture, and most of us in more than one.
Third, every culture integrates a system of meaning that is grounded in a religion or a substitute for religion. In other words, cultures always embody and flesh out religions. Consequently, cultures are always weighted with values. Acceptance of and involvement in a culture always entails some level of commitment to the values of its underlying religious system.
Given the foregoing, we must recognize that we cannot be simply either for or against culture. We cannot hope to redeem culture per se, but only to redeem cultures. If we are supposed to redeem them at all, then we must choose from various methods. We might stand outside the culture and criticize it. We might immerse ourselves in the culture and try to change it from within. We might set ourselves above the culture and seek to govern it. We might recognize the evil in a culture, but still hold our noses as we unavoidably participate in it. Different Christians have attempted each of these approaches at one time or another.
Our goal in this edition of FrontLine is to provide biblical and theological tools that will help you decide how you will engage a dominant culture that is hostile to Christianity. The first three articles provide background and theory. Matt Shrader begins by surveying various approaches to culture that Christians are currently taking. Michael Carlyle argues that since the kingdom of God is not on earth today, cultural transformation is not part of the mission of the church. Mark Snoeberger discusses the road between two ditches: separating too far from the dominant culture or accepting too much of it.
The last four articles address problems that come up as Christians confront today’s dominant culture. Michael Riley evaluates the phenomenon of Christian nationalism from a premillennial Baptist perspective. Ryan Martin asks whether being “all things to all men” obligates us to imitate our surrounding culture. David de Bruyn explores whether multicultural ministry is possible or desirable. Finally, my article investigates the notion of worldliness from a biblical point of view.
We hope that you will enjoy these essays. More than that, we hope that you will benefit from them. And most of all, we hope that we will open fruitful conversations among our brothers and sisters.
Kevin T. Bauder
Features:
CHRISTIAN RESPONSES TO CULTURE
Matt Shrader
How Christians should relate to the culture around them is a question Christians have asked since the earliest days of the church.
THE CHURCH AND CULTURAL ENGAGEMENT
Michael Carlyle
Our battle for public morals has lost ground exponentially over the past two decades.
SHOULD WE BE REDEEMING THE CULTURE?
Mark A. Snoeberger
A middle path exists between cultural isolationism and cultural integrationism.
BAPTISTS, DISPENSATIONALISTS, AND CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM
Michael Riley
Unfortunately, the expression “Christian nationalism” resists easy definition
ALL THINGS TO ALL MEN
Ryan Martin
Cultural habits and customs have varying importance, but they always have meaning.
MULTICULTURALISM IN THE CHURCH
David de Bruyn
Pastors should ask what doctrine, worship, and practice have united true Christians across continents, languages, ethnicities, and eras.
WHAT IS WORLDLINESS?
Kevin T. Bauder
A generation ago when we used the word “worldliness,” we thought we knew what we meant.
Departments:
MAILBAG
REGIONAL REPORT
ON THE HOME FRONT
NEWS FROM ALL OVER
HEART TO HEART: How Does God Parent?
Debbi Johnson
AT A GLANCE: Deuteronomy: The Heart of the Matter
David Stephens
WITH THE WORD TO THE WORLD: Common Denominators of Evangelistic Churches
Jim Tillotson
CHAPLAIN’S REPORT: Alaska Mission-100: Combating Military Suicide on the Last Frontier
Drew Paul
EVANGELIST’S PERSPECTIVE: Discerning in Decisions We Make
Jerry Sivnksty
Watch for upcoming podcasts with our authors.
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