Restraint
The Bible does not give the church a social mandate, but as we saw last week, churches should equip their people with how to live… Read More »Restraint
Articles on Culture
The Church and Christian Cultural Involvement
Last week, I made the case that the church’s mission is narrow and unique; it is not cultural or societal transformation, but rather the exclusively… Read More »The Church and Christian Cultural Involvement
Unicultural Uniformity
Of the little pilot-fish words that swim alongside the more commonly mangled word, culture, two of the more frequently heard are multicultural and diversity. In… Read More »Unicultural Uniformity
Resident Aliens
There is a real sense in which Christians, analogous to Israel in exile, are dual citizens—resident aliens. Christians are first and foremost citizens of the… Read More »Resident Aliens
Residents
Last time, we considered the fact that Scripture describes Christians as exiles who are not of the world and must not love or be conformed… Read More »Residents
Pagan Culture and Apostate Culture
In discussions of evangelizing the post-modern West, something is often forgotten. Those cultures which were formed by Christianity and have since abandoned it are not… Read More »Pagan Culture and Apostate Culture
Why equating culture with ethnicity is inherently racist
Despite my many protestations (including a whole book addressing the topic), it is still quite common within Evangelical circles to equate culture and ethnicity. I… Read More »Why equating culture with ethnicity is inherently racist
Exiles
Over the past several weeks, I have shown how Scripture describes the rule of God in two ways, in terms of his sovereign universal rule… Read More »Exiles
Missionaries and Culture
Missionaries do their work in a perilous environment. Such has been the rise of ideas such as “multi-culturalism”, that many missionaries now go by a… Read More »Missionaries and Culture
Future Union of the Two Kingdoms
The nation of Israel was a union of the Universal and Redemptive rules of God on earth, but as we saw last week, the nation’s… Read More »Future Union of the Two Kingdoms
Two Kingdoms
Over the past two weeks I have laid out a biblical case for understanding the reality of two kingdoms: a universal kingdom, God’s sovereign superintendence over… Read More »Two Kingdoms
We Don’t Want Your White Man’s Religion
In Africa, particularly where black nationalist sentiments arise, it is not uncommon to hear the title of this post thrown around in conversation. Similarly, half-formed… Read More »We Don’t Want Your White Man’s Religion
The Redemptive Rule of God
Last week I discussed God’s universal rule over all things through human institutions that he ordained. This Universal Common Kingdom of God encompasses all people,… Read More »The Redemptive Rule of God
Christian Culture in Church History
A common error in the study of church history is to seek to find a version of one’s present branch of Christianity in the past.… Read More »Christian Culture in Church History
The Universal Common Kingdom
At the heart of our philosophy of the church’s responsibility toward culture is a proper understanding of how God rules sovereignly over all things, how… Read More »The Universal Common Kingdom
Christians, the Church, and Culture
Evangelicals today are enamored with culture. Visit any Christian blog or pick up a catalogue of recent Christian books, and you will likely find discussions… Read More »Christians, the Church, and Culture
The importance of cultural discernment in Christian education
If Christian educators are intent upon educating their students with truth, both its factual content and the way the truth is imagined, then they must commit to utilize… Read More »The importance of cultural discernment in Christian education
Culture, Not Race
Scripture does not define the word culture, but it certainly describes the phenomenon of culture-making. Humans are meaning-making creatures, who fashion their world after their… Read More »Culture, Not Race
Culture – More Than Creation
If the word culture is to be useful, it must define something. It must name and describe a discrete phenomenon in the world. A useful… Read More »Culture – More Than Creation
Ten Mangled Words – “Culture”
Jackhammers are not the ideal tool for mixing cake batter. Some mess will almost certainly result. Evangelical Christians using the word ‘culture’ often remind one… Read More »Ten Mangled Words – “Culture”