Christian Worldview and Culture
Christian Worldview and Culture
David Morales
GENE 100 The Making of the Christian Mind
Professor Laura Latora
18 February 2012
Introduction
Today’s cultural landscape has been shaped by the likes of MTV (entertainment), Steve Jobs (technology), and Mark Zuckerberg (social networking). Society often prefers accepting the “worldviews” of these and other influential people, rather than hearing the message of the Good News of Jesus Christ which offers redemption to a “fallen” world. We cannot ignore the reality that a vast majority of cultural advancements are produced by “non-Christian culture-makers, who, as they become more self-conscious and consistent with their anti-Christian stance, will express their unbelief in their artifacts with increasing boldness.”
Christians cannot dismiss the impact and relevance these contributions have made on society. One of the great challenges believers are confronted with is developing an understanding of the importance of expressing and sharing our Christian worldview in the midst of various competing ideologies. One of the hidden ideologies that secular culture promotes is that we can “take care of ourselves” thus, refuting any notion that we are dependent on Christ to meet every human need, including the need for salvation. Christian disengagement from culture is contrary to Christ’s example of Incarnation. Christ did not consider human culture unworthy of his attention and love. He set aside his divinity and put on human flesh so that he could engage us on a social and cultural level. The great commission is an affirmation of Christ’s desire for his followers to “go into all the word”, engaging culture and preaching the gospel.
What is “Culture”?
Culture can be defined using three different approaches: agricultural, sociological, and anthropological. The agricultural approach to defining culture “is derived from the Latin cultura… meaning to plow or till.” Culture is understood from a farming or agricultural
David Morales
GENE 100 The Making of the Christian Mind
Professor Laura Latora
18 February 2012
Introduction
Today’s cultural landscape has been shaped by the likes of MTV (entertainment), Steve Jobs (technology), and Mark Zuckerberg (social networking). Society often prefers accepting the “worldviews” of these and other influential people, rather than hearing the message of the Good News of Jesus Christ which offers redemption to a “fallen” world. We cannot ignore the reality that a vast majority of cultural advancements are produced by “non-Christian culture-makers, who, as they become more self-conscious and consistent with their anti-Christian stance, will express their unbelief in their artifacts with increasing boldness.”
Christians cannot dismiss the impact and relevance these contributions have made on society. One of the great challenges believers are confronted with is developing an understanding of the importance of expressing and sharing our Christian worldview in the midst of various competing ideologies. One of the hidden ideologies that secular culture promotes is that we can “take care of ourselves” thus, refuting any notion that we are dependent on Christ to meet every human need, including the need for salvation. Christian disengagement from culture is contrary to Christ’s example of Incarnation. Christ did not consider human culture unworthy of his attention and love. He set aside his divinity and put on human flesh so that he could engage us on a social and cultural level. The great commission is an affirmation of Christ’s desire for his followers to “go into all the word”, engaging culture and preaching the gospel.
What is “Culture”?
Culture can be defined using three different approaches: agricultural, sociological, and anthropological. The agricultural approach to defining culture “is derived from the Latin cultura… meaning to plow or till.” Culture is understood from a farming or agricultural
Bibliography: Hegeman, David Bruce. Plowing in Hope: Toward a Biblical Theology of Culture. Moscow, ID: Canon Press, 2007. Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster 's Collegiate Dictionary. Eleventh ed. Springfield, MA: Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2003. Niebuhr, H. Richard. Christ & Culture. San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1951. Palmer, Michael D., Elements of a Christian Worldview Percy, Martyn. Engaging with Contemporary Culture: Christianity, Theology, and the Concrete Church. Abingdon, Oxon, GBR: Ashgate Publishing Group, 2005. [ 3 ]. Inc Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster 's Collegiate Dictionary., Eleventh ed. (Springfield, Mass.: Merriam-Webster, Inc., 2003). [ 6 ]. Niebuhr, H. Richard. Christ & Culture (San Francisco: HarperCollins, 1951), 33. [ 7 ]. Muller, Richard A. Dictionary of Latin and Greek Theological Terms : Drawn Principally from Protestant Scholastic Theology. Grand Rapids, Mich.: Baker Book House, 1985, cultus. [ 27 ]. Percy, Martyn. Engaging with Contemporary Culture : Christianity, Theology, and the Concrete Church. (Abingdon, Oxon, , GBR: Ashgate Publishing Group, 2005), 14.