Christian Responses to Culture

by Matt Shrader

How should Christians relate to the culture around them? This is not a new question. In fact, Christians have asked it since the earliest days of the church. As cultural situations and contexts have changed, the question continues to surface. While I will not give a comprehensive answer to this question, I hope to explain a few of the most common answers that are given today.

We should first recognize that this question is difficult for us because we are living in a rapidly changing culture. The sexual revolution rampaging through society is only one symptom of this change. America is becoming less Christian in many ways, thus marginalizing those who hold Christian perspectives. Furthermore, the proposed alternatives are not only varied but also rather different from previous options. If we want to understand the possible ways in which Christians might relate to our culture, then we must first recognize that there is no agreement about what the prevailing culture is or where it is heading.

Our society is standing on a precipice. We could go back to the pleasant days of yesteryear, or we could plunge into an era of chaos and bitter fighting. In those old days of yesteryear nearly everyone accepted cornerstone ideas such as individual freedom, toleration, free expression, and rule of law. Now it seems as if toleration is rarely practiced, free expression has given way to various versions of censorship, and the rule of law is being adjusted in accordance with factors such as identity and privilege. While we may not all know how to describe the change happening around us, we cannot deny that times have changed and a battle has begun.

If society is at a crossroad, then Christians must decide which way to go. The choice is difficult because some wish  to return to what has been, while others want to prepare for the new context. With this understanding in place, we can align most responses with one of four broad views.