Christ and Culture Christ and Science Shreveport Baptist Church, March 29, 2009.

Christ and CultureChrist and Science

Shreveport Baptist Church, March 29, 2009

1919-1962

against

of

in paradox (in, not of)

Christ against Culture

For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. 1 Co. 3:19

Because you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world –

therefore the world hates you. Jn 15:19

My kingdom is not of this world. Jn 18:36

Do not love the world or anything in the world. The love of the Father is not in those

who love the world. 1 Jn 2:15

Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own insights. Pr 3:5

Against leads to isolation

or separation…

How do you respond?

• They got it right, let’s get out of here!• They are just extremists, we need some isolation

and some separation, but that’s too much…• We should be in the world, not of the world.. that

should be the answer.• Haven’t really thought about it. I just exist, I

think, unless I’m just a program in the matrix, or part of someone’s imagination in another dimension. Then I guess I wouldn’t really be existing, at least not like I think I am existing.

1919-1962

against

of

in paradox (in, not of)

Christ of Culture• American evangelical

Christians see Christ as– peace maker– warrior of justice– lover of sinners– condemner of hypocrites

• American civil religion

• Hippies for Jesus

1919-1962

against

of

in paradox (in, not of)

Christ Against Culture

•Isolation

•Separation

•Conflict

Christ of Culture

•Faith is not absolute, but a product of culture

Christ and Culture in Paradox

•In but not of…

•Dualism

•Culture is bad, but can’t avoid it.

•In Christ we are good, but in culture we are bad.

•Enter culture to proclaim the message of salvation.

Spiritual World

World

Dualist

Spiritual

Conversionist

Christ transforms CultureFor by him all things were created: things in heaven and on

earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by him and for him. Col 1:16

For God so loved the world that his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his son into the world to condemn the world but to save the world through him. John 3: 16-17

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made. John 1:1-3

For since the creation of the world god’s invisible qualities-his eternal power and divine nature-have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that men are without excuse. Romans 1: 20

Dualist Conversionist

Creation Physical is bad

Physical is good, but sinful man has influenced it

Nature of man

Spiritual good, physical bad

Man was created good spiritual and physical, but has been warped

History Conflict b/t Church and world

The world reflects man’s continued striving to find his way back to God

Bring me to life

wake me up insidewake me up insidecall my name and save me from the darkbid my blood to runbefore i come undonesave me from the nothing I've becomebring me to life

frozen inside without your touch without your love darling only you are the life among the dead

all this time i can't believe i couldn't seekept in the dark but you were there in front of meI've been sleeping a thousand years it seemsgot to open my eyes to everythingwithout a thought without a voice without a souldon't let me die herethere must be something morebring me to life

© 2003 Wind-Up Records

Back to my daughter’s music…

1919-1962

against

of

in paradox (in, not of)

conversionist

The isomorphism of

Christ and Culture

onto

Christ and Science

•Conflict

•Independence

•Dialogue

•Integration

In life, Sue must have cast an imposing figure. She stood some 13 feet high at the hip, and measured 42 feet from head to tail. Her five-foot-long skull contained 58 vicious teeth. There were some features, however, which suggest she was as much prey as predator, for Sue bore wicked battle scars. During some past encounter, Sue had broken several ribs. In time they had healed over, leaving visible abnormalities. But a subsequent encounter had broken them a second time.

But according to a straight-forward reading of Scripture there was no death in the beginning, no carnivorous activity, no burial, no fossilization. There was no pain, no suffering. No animal attacks, no infectious diseases, no broken bones.

So that's the question. Did Sue live and kill and suffer and die in a world deemed "very good" by the gracious, loving God of Scripture? Or, did these gruesome aspects and activities follow the ruination of the "very good" creation by Adam's sin and the resultant curse?

Which type of world could God call "very good"?

Surely some things just can't be. (emphasis added)

by John D. Morris, Ph.D.Institute for Creation Research

Conflict

The isomorphism of

Christ and Culture

onto

Christ and Science

•Conflict

•Independence

•Dialogue

•Integration

IndependenceThe net of science covers the empirical universe.The net of religion extends over the moral meaning

and value.These two magisteria do not overlap…

-Stephen Jay Gould

‘Science gets the ages of rocks, religion the rock of ages.

Science studies how the heavens go, religion determines how to go to heaven.’

Lack of Independence

Evolution by descent

Instantaneous origin

Scientism (naturalism)

Creationism(theism)

Scientific theory

Philosophy/theology

Philosophy/theology associated with the science

another relation….

Evolution by descent

Instantaneous origin

Theistic Evolution(theism)

Life from Space(naturalism)

Scientific theory

Philosophy/theology

Philosophy/theology may be independent of the science

The isomorphism of

Christ and Culture

onto

Christ and Science

•Conflict

•Independence

•Dialogue

•Integration

Gaseous Pillars in

M 16 Hubble Space Telescope

When I consider the heavens,

the work of your fingers,

the moon and the stars

that you have set in place,

what is man that you are mindful of him?- David, King of Israel, Psalm 8:3

The size of the universe does not diminish our significance to God, but adds wonder to the knowledge that God is mindful of us.

The isomorphism of

Christ and Culture

onto

Christ and Science

•Conflict

•Independence

•Dialogue

•Integration

Integration

Reason, logic,systems of thoughtto reach assurance

of knowledge

Theories of natural science that

explain the observedbehavior of matter and

biological systems

Intuition aided by experience and reason

Theories of Philosophy/theology

that explainobservations of the

human condition

Now we’re at a real cliff hanger!

You gave us these ideas DeBoer, but where are the answers?

Where are the examples of integration?

How do you really do this meshing of science and Christian faith?

Educational Philosophy (LeTourneau University College Catalog)

LeTourneau University is committed to educational studies within the framework of a Christian theistic view of the world, of man, and of man's culture in the light of Biblical and natural revelation.  Such a view sees no dichotomy in truth, affirms that Biblical revelation and scientific inquiry are complementary rather than contradictory, and requires a recognition of a personal God revealed both in nature and in the person of Jesus Christ, His Son.  Thus, all truth is regarded as God‑given and is considered sacred.  It should be pursued with diligence and received with humility.

http://www.letu.edu/academics/catalog/tu2003/perspective/philosophy.html