Church and Culture Rev. Dr. Soong-Chan Rah Milton B. Engebretson Professor of Church Growth and Evangelism North Park Theological Seminary.

Church and CultureChurch and Culture

Rev. Dr. Soong-Chan Rev. Dr. Soong-Chan RahRah

Milton B. Engebretson ProfessorMilton B. Engebretson Professorof Church Growth and Evangelismof Church Growth and Evangelism

North Park Theological SeminaryNorth Park Theological Seminary

Social Construct of Social Construct of RealityReality

ObjectificationInstitutionalization

Internalization

Externalization

Christ and Culture Christ and Culture (H. Richard Niebuhr)(H. Richard Niebuhr)

►Christ AGAINST CultureChrist AGAINST Culture►Christ OF CultureChrist OF Culture►Christ ABOVE CultureChrist ABOVE Culture►Christ and Culture in PARADOXChrist and Culture in PARADOX►Christ TRANSFORMING CultureChrist TRANSFORMING Culture

Christ Christ AGAINSTAGAINST Culture Culture

►Sole authority of Christianity over Sole authority of Christianity over the Christianthe Christian Rejects culture’s claim to loyaltyRejects culture’s claim to loyalty

►Church rejects the worldChurch rejects the world 2020thth century Christian century Christian

FundamentalismFundamentalism Amish cultureAmish culture

Christ Christ OFOF Culture Culture

►God is transcendent and can be God is transcendent and can be found in all human endeavorsfound in all human endeavors Church and culture are not in conflictChurch and culture are not in conflict AssimiliationAssimiliation

►Church embraces the worldChurch embraces the world 2020thth century Protestant Liberalism century Protestant Liberalism Seeker sensitive movementSeeker sensitive movement

Church and CultureChurch and Culture

►Marginalized (Christ AGAINST Marginalized (Christ AGAINST Culture)Culture) Antagonistic relationship to the cultureAntagonistic relationship to the culture

►Modernist vs. Fundamentalists (Scopes Trial)Modernist vs. Fundamentalists (Scopes Trial)

Noah’s Ark mentalityNoah’s Ark mentality►Creation of a Christian sub-cultureCreation of a Christian sub-culture

►Mainstreamed (Christ OF Culture)Mainstreamed (Christ OF Culture) Church is held captive to cultureChurch is held captive to culture

►Western/White captivity of the churchWestern/White captivity of the church►Mega-churchMega-church►Feel-good ChristianityFeel-good Christianity

Marginalized ChristianityMarginalized Christianity

Ark - itectureArk - itecture

Mainstreamed ChristianityMainstreamed Christianity

Christ Christ ABOVEABOVE Culture Culture

►Acknowledges the centrality of the Acknowledges the centrality of the church but seeks after knowledge church but seeks after knowledge of God through reason and of God through reason and revelationrevelation

►Church gets to Christ passing Church gets to Christ passing through the world (e.g. – logic, through the world (e.g. – logic, reason, science)reason, science) Thomas Aquinas / (seminaries)Thomas Aquinas / (seminaries) Christian modernist philosophyChristian modernist philosophy

Christ and Culture in Christ and Culture in PARADOXPARADOX

►Great difference between the twoGreat difference between the two Similar to difference between law and Similar to difference between law and

gospelgospel Church as salt/light to prevent the Church as salt/light to prevent the

onslaught of evilonslaught of evil

►Living life precariously and in Living life precariously and in tensiontension Both engaged and disengagedBoth engaged and disengaged Acknowledges reality of sin and evilAcknowledges reality of sin and evil

Christ Christ TRANSFORMINGTRANSFORMING CultureCulture

►Refuses to abandon the earth to the Refuses to abandon the earth to the Kingdom of SatanKingdom of Satan

►Kingdom of God can transform and Kingdom of God can transform and retake the worldretake the world

►Transforming power of the gospel Transforming power of the gospel to transform individuals and cultureto transform individuals and culture

Metaphor for Gospel and Metaphor for Gospel and CultureCulture

► People in a stadiumPeople in a stadium View of the field is different depending on View of the field is different depending on

where you sitwhere you sit

► Christians Christians in a stadium (Christianity / World) in a stadium (Christianity / World) in a specific seat (cultural lens) in a specific seat (cultural lens) looking at the field (the gospel message)looking at the field (the gospel message)

► Christians need to talk to each other to Christians need to talk to each other to get a clearer, broader, fuller pictureget a clearer, broader, fuller picture

Differing Differing

PointsPoints

of Viewof View

Andrew Walls : Two Andrew Walls : Two PrinciplesPrinciples

► IndigenizingIndigenizing Creation-centered theologyCreation-centered theology The Gospel adapts to the cultureThe Gospel adapts to the culture The Gospel affirms what exists in the cultureThe Gospel affirms what exists in the culture missio Deimissio Dei

► PilgrimPilgrim Redemption-centered theologyRedemption-centered theology The Gospel challenges our cultureThe Gospel challenges our culture The Gospel seeks to change what exists in The Gospel seeks to change what exists in

the culturethe culture Prophetic, counter-cultural roleProphetic, counter-cultural role

Andrew Walls : Two Andrew Walls : Two PrinciplesPrinciples

Indigenizing

Pilgrim

Stephen Bevans : Four Stephen Bevans : Four Models Models (actually six but four that apply to (actually six but four that apply to

us)us)

Bevans, Stephen. Models of Contextual Bevans, Stephen. Models of Contextual Theology (Maryknoll: Orvis Books, 2002)Theology (Maryknoll: Orvis Books, 2002)

►Anthropological (strongly Anthropological (strongly indigenizing)indigenizing)

►Counter-cultural (strongly pilgrim)Counter-cultural (strongly pilgrim)►Translation (neutral)Translation (neutral)►Transcendental (allow the receiver Transcendental (allow the receiver

to determine)to determine)

AnthroplogicalAnthroplogical

► Strongly indigenizingStrongly indigenizing Primary concern: preservation of cultural Primary concern: preservation of cultural

identity/normsidentity/norms Focused on the human experience in cultureFocused on the human experience in culture

►Culture is basically good / equal to Scripture and traditionCulture is basically good / equal to Scripture and tradition Seeds of the gospel are in the groundSeeds of the gospel are in the ground

► the ground simply needs wateringthe ground simply needs watering

► Examples:Examples: missio Dei missio Dei (God was here before our arrival)(God was here before our arrival) Indigenous names for GodIndigenous names for God Afro-centric churches in AmericaAfro-centric churches in America

Counter-culturalCounter-cultural

► Strongly pilgrimStrongly pilgrim Primary concern: gospel messagePrimary concern: gospel message The gospel story gives us the lens to critique The gospel story gives us the lens to critique

history and culturehistory and culture Focused on redemption and transformationFocused on redemption and transformation Culture needs to be weeded and fertilized before Culture needs to be weeded and fertilized before

the seeds can be plantedthe seeds can be planted

► Examples:Examples: Missional theologyMissional theology Resident Alien (communal)Resident Alien (communal) Widow burnings / human sacrificeWidow burnings / human sacrifice

TranslationTranslation

► NeutralNeutral Accommodates to a particular cultureAccommodates to a particular culture

► Yet, sees the message of the gospel as unchangingYet, sees the message of the gospel as unchanging Translate the meaning of the gospelTranslate the meaning of the gospel

► A supra-cultural message can be separated outA supra-cultural message can be separated out► Looking for dynamic equivalence in translationLooking for dynamic equivalence in translation► Contextualization is a necessityContextualization is a necessity

The cultural context is basically goodThe cultural context is basically good► Bring seeds (gospel) put into the ground of cultureBring seeds (gospel) put into the ground of culture

► Examples:Examples: Language / Bible translation (Dynamic equivalence)Language / Bible translation (Dynamic equivalence) Jokes / Humor / IdiomsJokes / Humor / Idioms Music and Art?Music and Art?

TranscendentalTranscendental

► Allow the receiver to determineAllow the receiver to determine As outsiders, we can not understand all thingsAs outsiders, we can not understand all things

► We need a complete change/conversionWe need a complete change/conversion Begin with one’s own contextual / communal experience to Begin with one’s own contextual / communal experience to

determine particularitiesdetermine particularities► The “subject” is involved in determining and shaping realitThe “subject” is involved in determining and shaping realit► The individual’s particular context and the individual’s The individual’s particular context and the individual’s

experience in Godexperience in God Cultivate your own garden – others will cultivate their ownCultivate your own garden – others will cultivate their own

► Examples:Examples: Elements of racial and ethnic identity / pride?Elements of racial and ethnic identity / pride? Ancestor worship?Ancestor worship? Art? Dance?Art? Dance?

Discussion Board AssignmentDiscussion Board Assignment

►Church and Culture ExamplesChurch and Culture Examples►NiebuhrNiebuhr

Against Culture / Of CulturesAgainst Culture / Of Cultures Above Culture / In Paradox / Transforming CultureAbove Culture / In Paradox / Transforming Culture

►Walls: Walls: PilgrimPilgrim IndigenizingIndigenizing

►BevansBevans AnthropologicalAnthropological Counter CulturalCounter Cultural TranslationTranslation TranscendentalTranscendental