Explain three cultural views of relationships
Answers
1. Christianity against culture
This first perspective sees Christianity and culture as two opposing forces of influence. The church stands on one side of the line, and culture on the other. Ashford says, “This is especially a temptation for Americans who realize that their country is becoming increasingly post-Christian—and in some ways, even anti-Christian. They realize that their beliefs on certain theological and moral issues will increasingly be rejected and mocked by the political and cultural elite and by many of their fellow citizens.”
Within this perspective, Ashford identifies two analogies to represent the perceived relationship between Christianity and culture:
“Some proponents of ‘Christianity against culture’ tend to view the Church primarily as a bomb shelter.”This stance transforms the church into a sanctuary, where people seek refuge from the spiritual siege of the outside world.
Christians sometimes talk about trying to find the balance between immersing yourself in the world and isolating yourself in a comfy little bubble. This perspective has fully embraced the bubble.
“Believers with this mentality have good intentions,” Ashford says. “They want to preserve the church’s purity, recognizing that the church is under attack and that therefore we should hold fast to the faith (Revelations 3:11). They know that there is a great battle being waged (Ephesians 6), a battle that plays out both invisibly in the heavenly realm, and visibly in the cultural realm.”
But these man-made barriers only create the illusion of safety from sin.
“[This] externalizes godlessness and treats it as something that can be kept out by man-made walls, rather than understanding that godlessness is a disease of the soul that can never be walled out.”