Christian Values & Biblical Faith C H R I S T & C U L T U R E The Problem The Kingdom of God and the Kingdom of the World are not the same thing. They re different. Christianity and civilization have different values & goals governances & structures duties & allegiances
Author, Christ and Culture Professor, Yale Divinity School H. Richard Niebuhr (1894-1962) Christ Virtues of Christ Love: Christ loves God as humans should, and loves humans as only God can. Hope: Christ anticipates a realization of the Messianic promise and complete establishment of the kingdom of God. Obedience: Christ models radical obedience to the will of God. Faith & Humility: Christ displays absolute dependence on and trust in God. No virtue can function as the key to defining the character and teaching of Christ, and all are meaningful only in relation to God. Jesus: Son of God
Culture Definition: The total process of human activity and that total result of such activity The artificial, secondary environment that humans superimpose on the natural Characteristics: Social achievement World of values Pluralistic EXTREME (One set of imperatives) MEDIAN VIEWS (Two sets of imperatives in some type of relationship with each other) EXTREME (One set of imperatives) CHRIST AGAINST CHRIST ABOVE CHRIST AND CHRIST THE CHRIST OF CULTURE CULTURE CULTURE IN TRANSFORMER OF CULTURE PARADOX CULTURE (Synthesists) (Dualists) (Conversionists) One set of imperatives drawn from the other world of revelation Two sets of imperatives: Faith /Reason Christ /Culture Christ controls the synthesis Two sets of imperatives held together in a corrective tension Two sets of imperatives, two realms, one transforming the other One set of imperatives drawn from this world of culture and reason Christ/Culture Opposition Christ/Culture Agreement
Christ Against Culture Characteristics Uncompromising affirmation of Christ as the sole authority over the Christian Total rejection of any claim by culture on the Christian s loyalty Biblical Faith Do not love the world or anything in the world. If anyone loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. (1 John 2.15) For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world- our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God? (1 John 4.4-5)
Christ Against Culture Examples Tertullian Leo Tolstoy Monastic groups, protestant sectarian groups Strengths Purifying agent Guards Christianity from becoming instrument of the state Guards Christianity from being utility for personal prosperity or public peace Weaknesses Naïve view of human relationship to culture Christ calls believers to love God and neighbor Christ against culture hard to reconcile with incarnation Divine
Christ of Culture Characteristics Identifies Christ as the fulfillment of culture No necessary opposition between Christ and culture Tends to emphasize concrete moral teachings of Christianity over the more abstract doctrines of Christian theology. Examples John Locke, Immanuel Kant Protestant Liberal Christianity (e.g., Albrecht Ritschl) Strengths Practical, infusing Christianity into culture as it actually is Emphasis on ethical obligations & need for cultural translation Weaknesses Accommodation leads to dilution Christ calls believers to love God and neighbor Erases divine-human distinction by either divinizing humanity or humanizing God.
Divine
Christ above Culture Characteristics Attempts to synthesize Christ and culture Culture fallen but not completely corrupt, and still under God s authority Biblical Faith The New Testament contains no document that clearly expresses the synthetic view. (Niebuhr, Christ and Culture) (Matthew 5.17-18; Matthew 22.21) Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God.... The authorities are ministers of God. (Romans 13.1, 6) Christ above Culture Examples: Thomas Aquinas: church both in and beyond the world Strengths: One king over both kingdoms Practical means of living Christian life, positive cultural agent Weaknesses Absolutizing the relative Radical evil present in all human work
Christ & Culture in Paradox Characteristics Synthesis not possible; Christ-culture tension always present Despite tension, both Christ and culture have legitimate claims on the Christian s loyalty. Biblical Faith Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's. (Mat 22.21; Mar 12.17; Luk 20.25) (Pauline theology)
Christ & Culture in Paradox Example: Luther: Kingdom of Christ, governed by grace; Kingdom of the World, governed by law Strengths: Recognizes the difficulty of the problem itself! Recognizes reality of human sin and need for law Encourages service to culture, avoiding separatism Weaknesses Can lead to cultural conservatism
Christ the Transformer of Culture Characteristics Similar to the synthesis and paradox views Optimistic about culture s potential for redemption by Christianity. Biblical Faith For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him. (John 3.17) Example: Augustine: City of God Strengths & Weaknesses? Niebuhr offers no analysis here Critics observe Niebuhr s favoring of this model Niebuhr s Christ and Culture Implicit favoring of the transformation view Critiques of the transformation view Critique of Niebuhr's assessment of Christ against culture model Critique of Niebuhr's assumption of Christendom