OK, I'm not going to deal with the weaker brother idea, but if you want my thoughts on that, fell free to ask.
I heard a preacher once (Greg Laurie) once talking about how when it comes to Christians and culture, what happens a lot of the time is that we just copy popular ideas (and often way too late) in an attempt to reach the culture. What ends up happening is that we end up producing a washed up lame imitation that only Christians find appealing.
But here's what we need to remember. As Christians, we have access to the most creative Artist ever.
This relates to a second portion of the blog that again I recommend to you http://theologica.blogspot.com/2007/05/willson-christ-and-culture-in-light-of.html
As Christians interact with culture these have been the approaches through the years
1. Christ against Culture.
2. Christ of Culture. Christ is revealed in every culture. Sort of a gnostic view. D.A Carson says that this is not even a Christian option. Reinhold Niehbur who developed these categories has allowed a gnostic view to be considered a legitimate option.
3. Christ over Culture. Roman Catholics, Thomists, Christian Right. The church takes charge of the culture.
4. Christ and Culture in Paradox. Lutheran. Christians are to be in the world, but no confidence the world can be transformed, so we overwhelm it with salt and light. But there's no clear definition of what you do once you're in the culture from a worldview standpoint.
5. Christ Transforming Culture. Augustinian, Calvinistic. We are to reshape the world, creating fields of discourse in every discipline.
And number 5 I believe is the goal. Since we have access to the greatest Artist, we have the ability as Christians to develop things that are unique and beautiful. Christians should be the most innovative scientists, writers, musicians, etc. We need to be in every avenue creating things that are amazing as a demonstration of the creative power at work within us in the Holy Spirit. Practically, there are a few ways this has worked. Some might disagree with me on this one but in the whole hardcore/screamo music genre Christians have for years been leading the way. Artists like As Cities Burn, Means and Life in Your Way talk about real issues and yet bring hope and great music to the table. Many artists have been trying to copy what Underoath and others have been doing because it is something unique. Now, even if you don't like that music, the point is that they were out not to find some secular idea to copy, they were out to honor God and do something different. Instead of being a Christian version or knock off of something, if Christians could just go out and do awesome things resting in the power of the gospel as they do, it could be a wonderful way of opening the door to the gospel in so many venues. Again remembering that the goal is not about conforming to the patterns of this world, but instead being transformed by God and allowing Him to work through us to create things that point to the greatest Artist. We aren't against culture, withdrawing because Jesus calls us to be light in all sorts of dark places. We aren't Christ of culture because what we are portraying is something unique, Christ and Him crucified. We aren't Christ over culture, making everyone bow to our way of doing things because until hearts are opened to the gospel, transformation cannot happen. We are not in a paradox with culture because that is not resting in the power of the gospel to transform culture. Instead, we transform culture as we rest in God's power at work in us to create things that are beautiful and unique and in turn provide a picture of a marvelous, holy God to a dying world.
Tomorrow we interact with some ideas about the gospel allows us to interact with the culture around us as we remember the idea of common grace.
A Book Unlike Any Other
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