There is a lot of talk about culture today, but very little clarity as to what, exactly, the word means. Further, discussions tend to lump all culture into one nebulous category, failing to recognize important distinctions between different forms of culture.
In this episode of “By the Waters of Babylon,” I consider where the idea of culture came from, what biblical ideas parallel the modern concept of culture, and what has happened historically to create three distinct forms of culture.
I also highlight a beautiful hymn about our love for God, “My God, I Love Thee,” set to a tune that is a great representation of one category under discussion—folk culture. I also recommend what has become a classic book on the subject of Christians and pop culture, All God’s Children and Blue Suede Shoes by Ken Myers.
I pray this episode will be edifying for you!
About Scott Aniol
Scott Aniol is the founder and Executive Director of Religious Affections Ministries. He is director of doctoral worship studies at Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary, where he teaches courses in ministry, worship, hymnology, aesthetics, culture, and philosophy. He is the author of Worship in Song: A Biblical Approach to Music and Worship, Sound Worship: A Guide to Making Musical Choices in a Noisy World, and By the Waters of Babylon: Worship in a Post-Christian Culture, and speaks around the country in churches and conferences. He is an elder in his church in Fort Worth, TX where he resides with his wife and four children. Views posted here are his own and not necessarily those of his employer.
