Faith Meets CultureMcKnight Lectures

2010

Being the Church Thesis: Though despised on the whole from

without and even within, the Church/church is God’s powerful secret weapon to change the world (1 Co. 10:1-6; Ep. 3:9, 10, 20).

Implication: Christians must build the church (the local organization) and be the Church (the organism in all of life) (Ac. 2:42-47; 1 Pt. 2:4-12).

How is Culture Changed?

Individuals or Institutions?

IndividualsEvangelism, Political Action, Social Action

EvangelismBill Bright

“Fast and pray for spiritual revival throughout America and the world. . . .We can help change the world by introducing people to Jesus Christ” (10).

Political ActionJames Dobson

“The side that wins gains the right to teach what it believes to its children. And if you can do that, you write the curricula, you tell them what to believe and you model what you want them to understand and in one generation you change the whole culture” (13)

Social ReformCharles Colson

“Transformed people transform cultures”

Does evangelism (alone) change culture? While 86 to 88% of American population adhere

to some faith, the major institutions of our culture (business, law, government, academics, entertainment) are “intensely secular and materialistic.”

Traditional religious adherents give more, attend church more, and get involved in more religious activities but influence has steadily declined over past 175 years.

Is a political and social majority necessary for cultural change?

Jews have had oversized influence on art, science, economics while only 3.5% of population. While only 3% of population gay community has exercised unabated influence in politics, social advocacy and media.

Evolution: 83% of all Americans take a providentialist view of origins.

Abortion: Over 50% believe that abortion should only be legal in a few circumstances.

Institutions

PropagatorsArtisans, Institutions

NetworksIntellectu

als Educators

Converted Influential

Political Wealthy

Cultural change occurs from the top down when resourceful patrons (financial and political) sponsor dense networks of intellectuals and educators who inspire artists, poets, musicians and institutions to define a new culture.

Historical ExamplesEarly Church, Early Europe, Middle Ages, Reformation, Awakenings

Early ChurchEarly Christianity exercised an oversized influence on the Roman world through the conversion of aristocrats and political influential.

Influential in Early Church Aristobulus: grandson of Herod and friend of

Claudius (Ro. 16:3-16). Eusebius: lists Xns in places of power. Philip the Arabian (244-49): first Xn emperor Diocletian’s wife and daughter

Networks in Early Church Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Jerome, Athanasius,

Gregory of Nyssa, Ambrose of Milan, Augustine

Christian philosophers who were part of the nobility could speak their minds freely to nobility and fellow educators.

Institutions in Early Church Christian philosophers changed minds of

politically powerful and changed course of paideia (Roman educational system) which resulted in cultural consensus by 300s.

Became dominant politically. Care for poor and disenfranchised (e.g. fatherless children) was distinguishing mark of Christian society.

Early Europe“Barbarians”/”Dark Ages”

Fourth-Thirteenth Centuries

Influential in Early Europe Patrick, Columba, Columbanus, Boniface, Pirmin,

Willibrord, Wilfrid, Aiden, Amandus, Vladimir

Networks in Early Europe Monasteries: centers for learning on every topic,

repositories of publications and culture, outposts for evangelization (particularly of politically and financially powerful).

Institutions in Early Europe Barbarian kings propagated Christianization of

culture (built churches, monasteries, schools, libraries, helped the poor).

Clovis (king of the Franks); Ethelbert (Kent); Edwin (Northumbria), Stephen (Hungary), Sigebert (Essex), Boris (Bulgaria); Peada (Mercia), Vladimir (Kiev), Herald (Danes), Olaf (Norway), James (Sweden)

Sponsored relief of the poor

ReformationFourteenth to Seventeenth Centuries

Influential of Reformation Growing cities produced wealthy merchants Zurich, Geneva, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Antwerp,

Ghent, Strasbourg, Nuremberg, Augsburg, Cologne

Networks of Reformation Luther: von Staupitz, Capito, Melanchthon, Dore

Calvin: Farel, Beza, Knox

Cranmer: Knox, Vermigli, Ochino

Institutions of the Reformation Universities and academies: Geneva, Leiden,

Oxford, Cambridge Political states: France, Geneva, Holland, England Commerce and free enterprise Mercy ministries to poor and ill

AwakeningsEighteenth to Twentieth Centuries

Influential of the Awakenings Great Awakening: Wesleys and Whitefield

(Oxford); Erskine and Gillespie (Edinburgh); Edwards, Brainerd, Parsons (Yale); Prince, Sr., Colman, Pemberton (Harvard).

Social Reform: Wilberforce, Venn, Clarkson, Simeon (Cambridge); Shore, Teignmouth (aristocracy); Thornton (business elite); Hannah More (literary elite); Pitt (government).

Networks of the Awakenings Whitefield’s communications network

Clapham Circle

Underground Railroad

Institutions of the Awakenings Churches: 150 Congregational churches alone

between (1740-1760); 25-50,000 converts (3-20% of population).

Princeton

Georgia Orphan House (Bethesda)

Faithful PresenceThe doctrine and practice of the Incarnation of Jesus Christ is

the only answer for” dissolution” and “difference”

Without an Incarnate Christ. . . Culture dissolves: trustworthiness of relationship

between words and world (e.g. revisionism, deconstruction, political correctness, political speech)

Culture disintegrates into differences: e.g. racism, multi-culturalism, political parties, rich and poor.

With an Incarnate Christ. . . Truth, learning, communication possible: “Truth

came through Jesus Christ” (Jn. 1:17)

Relationships made possible among different: “Destroyed the barrier, the dividing wall of separation” (Ep. 2:14).

What do we do?

In the power of the Spirit, after the example of Christ, and with a willingness to suffer we must practice FAITHFUL PRESENCE as Individuals Networks Within Institutions (existing and new)

Individuals To each other

Christians (Ro. 15:1-3) Non-Christians (He. 13:1-3)

To our tasks Cultural mandate (Ge. 2:15-18) Calling/vocation (Co. 3:22-24)

Within spheres of influence (1 Pt. 2:17)

Networks Presbyterian Church in America Gospel Coalition CMDA; CO/MCO Christian Legal Society; International Justice

Mission Redeemer/South Africa/WSA Christians in the Visual Arts

InstitutionsFirst Presbyterian Church and Beyond

First Presbyterian ChurchRestoring People and Rebuilding Places through the Gospel of Jesus Christ

Restoring People Do Church (Acts 2:42-47)

Worship: Preaching, Sacraments Work: Teaching, Mercy, Discipline Witness: Evangelism, Community Development,

Cultural Transformation Be Church (1 Peter)

Cultural Mandate (Ge. 2:9,10) Calling/Vocation (Co. 3:19)

Rebuilding PlacesDo church

Places for worship, work, and witness

Be Church Places for human flourishing:

Housing (justice for poor, dignity for handicapped) Respite for hungry Restoration through recreation

Global and Lifelong Strategy

A Great CommissionLocally:

Harness wealth for strategic purposes Leverage social capital for kingdom initiatives Continue WSA’s missional focus Network with peers to do vocation according to

Kingdom values Influence MCG at highest levels Influence ASU at highest levels Set standard for arts Eliminate social ills: abortion, poverty, sex trade,

hunger, homelessness

A Great CommissionSend “missionaries” into upper tiers of cultural

matrix Nationally: plant churches in key cities, urge youth

to pursue upper tier vocations Internationally: plant churches and schools in key

world cities

Conclusion“This, I would insist, is not a cheap pietism. The fact is that Christ’s victory over the principalities and powers was a victory over the power of oppressive institutions—the sense that reality is what it is, that all is as it should be, that the ways of the world are established and cannot be changed; that the rules by which the world operates are ones we must accept and not challenge. We are not bound by the ‘necessities’ of history and society but are free from them. He broke their sovereignty and, as a result, all things are possible. It is this reality that frees all Christians to actively, creatively, and constructively seek the good in their relationships, in their tasks, in their spheres of influence and in their cities.”

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