CHRISTIANITY AND CULTURE!
Christianity has always, consistently transformed culture.
It is still doing so in many countries today. In fact Christianity is even beginning to transform the thinking of individual Muslims - a highly resistant group culture. So, if Christianity is not transforming culture in the United States we need to seriously ask if we really are a living part of Christianity. [read Under the Influence
by Alvin J. Schmidt]
If culture is/has transformed Christianity in the United States,
and it has, then something is backwards. Something is seriously wrong with what is called church and Christianity among Americans today! It's is not somebody else's fault - it is ours! We must seriously ask where is the transforming power of Christ in our American world today?by John Drake]
Though I am not a Chuck Colson groupie,
especially in politics, the following call to American Christians is a word of wisdom you should take seriously, take to heart: [the underlined words are highlights I have added to draw your attention to potential transformative thoughts.]
"The child they’re raising is going to be shaped ... by the culture around us. We are products of both nature and nurture. And there’s no way you can have that child, no matter how well you’ve protected them, go off to a public school today without having everything that you believe to be sacred challenged. So you’ve got to care about what’s going on. I know what it is to be busy and work hard and be preoccupied with things. The same way you need a devotional time in the morning, you also need a time when you’re reflecting on what’s going on in the world around you and how you can be engaged in it ...
"I’m a great believer in what Nesbit said. ‘Fads start from the top down. Movements start from the bottom up.’ Movements change society. There are people today saying we Christians shouldn’t be involved with these things and to just be a faithful presence where we are. That’s bad advice.
"We need to be involved with the world around us because we live as Christians with a worldview which is in conflict with the worldview of the society we live in. We should be constantly, winsomely, lovingly pushing Christian truth into the public square.
"The whole separation of church and state is something that the ACLU loves to have you think prevents you from doing things. It really doesn’t. Separation of church and state is one thing. Separation of religion and politics is entirely different. Religion and politics deal with the same sphere. Religion is how people organize their lives together. Aristotle said ‘politics is how we organize our common lives together.’ So we’re talking about how people live.
"I wrote a book called How Now Shall We Live
. It’s about how Christians bring Christian truth into all of life. So never separate religion and politics. Separate church and state only that you’re respectful of the fact that there is a civic order and a religious and moral order for which we’re responsible."
. It’s about how Christians bring Christian truth into all of life. So never separate religion and politics. Separate church and state only that you’re respectful of the fact that there is a civic order and a religious and moral order for which we’re responsible."by Chuck Colson
Where do You think Christianity stands in relationship to culture?
When is the last time you saw American Christianity change American culture? American culture change American Christianity?
TALK TO ME!
PHOTOS BY:
Trafalgar Square Dance Day Beautiful Dancers London 2006 by © mackey20l @ webshots.com
Chuck Colson Image from BreakPoint
Book images are all from Amazon
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