Christian Approaches to Culture
Conflicting Christian approaches to Culture is not a new phenomenon. The Hebrews themselves struggled with the issue even though as a theocracy, religion and culture… Read More »Christian Approaches to Culture
Articles on Culture
Relevance is irrelevant (Part 2)
Part 1 In emphasizing the unity of the church in 1 Corinthians 1:10-17, Paul asks the church pointedly: “is Christ divided?” (v 13). With their… Read More »Relevance is irrelevant (Part 2)
What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?
“What indeed has Athens to do with Jerusalem?”1 These immortal words from the pen of early church father Tertullian of Carthage illustrate well the tension that… Read More »What has Athens to do with Jerusalem?
Scripturally, “Culture” is Simply the “Behavior” of a People
If there is any concept of the anthropological/missional idea of “culture” in the NT, it is the idea of “way of life.” A people’s culture… Read More »Scripturally, “Culture” is Simply the “Behavior” of a People
Are NT “Behavior”-related Terms Equivalent to “Culture”?
So far I have argued that neither “race”-related terms and “world”-related terms in the NT approximate the anthropological idea of “culture.” A third category of… Read More »Are NT “Behavior”-related Terms Equivalent to “Culture”?
Are NT “World”-related Terms Equivalent to “Culture”?
Last time I argued that “race”-related terms in the New Testament cannot be equated with the contemporary idea of “culture.” The second category of NT… Read More »Are NT “World”-related Terms Equivalent to “Culture”?
More on the Hymnal vs. Screen thing
I think we all agree that the hill marked “The Battle of the Hymnal vs. the Projector” ought to have no man’s grave on it.… Read More »More on the Hymnal vs. Screen thing
Are NT “Race”-related Terms Equivalent to “Culture”?
The question before us is this: are there any New Testament terms that are equivalent to the contemporary notion of “culture”? At least three separate categories of… Read More »Are NT “Race”-related Terms Equivalent to “Culture”?
The Missional Understanding of “Culture”
Last time I argued that the contemporary idea of “culture” came to being within discussions of modern anthropology It was in this anthropological climate that… Read More »The Missional Understanding of “Culture”
The Historical Development of “Culture”
Historically,1 the term “culture” did not emerge in its common use until the late 18th century. The term itself is much older, its Latin roots… Read More »The Historical Development of “Culture”
Formalists Under Fire
A few weeks before Christmas, my sons and I made repeated visits to a firearms store. Both boys had expressed an interest in hunting, and… Read More »Formalists Under Fire
Common Missional Definitions of Culture
Likely the most influential early evangelical definition of culture comes from Lesslie Newbigin who claims that culture is “the sum total of ways of living… Read More »Common Missional Definitions of Culture
On racism, ethnicity, and culture
I thought today would be a good day to make a few comments about the relationship between race and culture. Often the idea that cultures… Read More »On racism, ethnicity, and culture
Sincerity or Profanity – 2
This time, in the words of Richard Weaver: “He is therefore trained to see things under the aspect of eternity, because form is the enduring… Read More »Sincerity or Profanity – 2
The Missional Church and Culture
The missional church movement has significantly influenced the evangelical church in recent years, especially their philosophy of evangelism and worship (see my recent series on… Read More »The Missional Church and Culture
Sincerity or Profanity?
“Being real” is all the rage in Christianity now, and some folks are sure that no one had thought of it before they did. As… Read More »Sincerity or Profanity?
The Good and the Bad of Missional Worship
There is little doubt that the missional church movement has been influential in evangelical churches, and that it continues to grow. Having surveyed the history… Read More »The Good and the Bad of Missional Worship
The Incarnational Mode of Missional Worship
With regard to the missional movement’s understanding of Christendom, it is important to recognize that they saw what happened during this period as little more… Read More »The Incarnational Mode of Missional Worship
Twenty-first Century Western Post-Modernism as Missional Worship Context
According to missional authors, the Christendom model significantly affects how the average 21st century American church practices worship. During the Christendom period, the church dominated… Read More »Twenty-first Century Western Post-Modernism as Missional Worship Context
The Poetry of Ron Rash
In his answer to the first question in this interview, poet and editor Justin Evans advances the idea that it is a sense of… Read More »The Poetry of Ron Rash