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The Christian and Culture

The Christian and Culture. What is this?. What is this?. What is this?. What do you see?. Art by Bev Dolittle Hide and Seek. Senses Grid - Hiebert , Cultural Anthropology, p 6. Potential Experiences. Sense Experiences. Conscious Experiences. THE MIND. THE EXTERNAL WORLD.

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The Christian and Culture

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  1. The Christian and Culture

  2. What is this?

  3. What is this?

  4. What is this?

  5. What do you see?

  6. Art by Bev DolittleHide and Seek

  7. Senses Grid - Hiebert, Cultural Anthropology, p 6 Potential Experiences Sense Experiences Conscious Experiences THE MIND THE EXTERNAL WORLD Categories & Models Sensory Grid Attention Grid (learned from one’s culture and derived from observations) (screens out occurrences; no perceivable by the senses) (excludes occurrences not relevant to one’s immediate concerns)

  8. Perception and Reality • Scientific thinking – careful thought and systematic observation makes objective reality. • Perception is selective: • Limited by cultural experience • Limited by knowledge • Limited by location • Limited by abilities • Limited by amount & how data is organized • Video – The Power of Words

  9. Describe what you see?

  10. Describe what you see?

  11. What is meant by Christian cultural heritage? • Christian • Christian worldview compared to others • Action: Making a positive difference in this world • Culture • Understanding culture and religion’s role • Action: Christian engagement in culture and professions • Heritage • Christianity’s historical influence in the U.S. • Action: Adding Christ-like contributions to our culture

  12. What is meant by Christian cultural heritage? • The role of Christianity in our culture • Integration with American culture • Contributions • Challenges • Culture and Christians’ engagement • Recognize differing worldviews and why different • Christianity’s view to cultural involvement • How should we as Christians engage our culture? • Your spiritual place in our culture

  13. Christian Thinking Open System vs. Closed System

  14. Physical World – Closed System Analysis Deduction PREDICTION Test by Experimentation Scientific Process Cycle MODEL Synthesis by Induction OBSERVATION

  15. Physical World OpenSystem Spiritual Realm Analysis Deduction PREDICTION Test by Experimentation Knowledge Process Cycle MODEL OBSERVATION and REVELATION Synthesis by Induction

  16. What is Epistemology? Definition: Epistemology is the study of the nature, sources and validity of knowledge.

  17. Perception and Reality Christian Perception – perceive God as the source of ultimate reality but Christians can only understand it imperfectly and with guidance from God. • Christian epistemology is informed by biblical revelation toward the spiritual and physical aspects of life. • Christian also are observers of the physical world. • We rely on God to guide us toward a closer understanding of the world in conjunction with reason. • Understanding by reason/observation and interpreting revelation is imperfect but enough to discover truth.

  18. Potential Experiences Sense Experiences Conscious Experiences God Revelation THE MIND THE EXTERNAL WORLD Categories & Models Sensory Grid Attention Grid (learned from one’s culture and derived from observations) (screens out occurrences; no perceivable by the senses) (excludes occurrences not relevant to one’s immediate concerns)

  19. Epistemology • Realism: External world is real. Science - assumed that scientific theories were accurate descriptions of the world. Theology – one’s understanding is complete and fully accurate • Idealism: Philosophy & Religion – reality exists in the mind; material world illusionary • Critical Realism: External world is real. Science – provides a map or model that moves toward a more complete understanding of reality. Theology - Knowledge of ultimate reality is limited but truth is obtainable by revelation.

  20. Epistemology • Critical Idealism: Reality exists in the mind. The external world is unknowable but order is imposed on sense experience by the mind. • Instrumentalism or Pragmatism: External world is real. Cannot know if one’s knowledge is true but if it accomplishes what one wants its usable. No claim to ultimate truth. • Determinism: External world is real. Knowledge is determined by material causes. Therefore there can be no claim to truth.

  21. Perception and Reality • Model – is “a means by which the basic structure and operation of the real world is portrayed.” • Characteristics of a Model • Helps to organize ones experience in a meaningful way. • They do not attempt to explain everything • They are ways of looking at the world • Solar system model • Models of American and Indian concepts of life

  22. Christian and Hindu Perceptions Paul Hiebert, Cultural Anthropology, p 36 AMERICAN CONCEPT OF LIFE INDIAN CONCEPT OF LIFE Brahman: only reality, unknowable to the passing world Reality God, eternal, supernatural, infinite Pure Spirit Illusion high gods lesser gods Relationship between God and man are vertical Creator demons & spirits Creation demi-gods saints & incarnations Man; natural, but with an eternal soul priests A B Relations are essentially vertical rulers Relations between people are essentially horizontal Mixed merchants craftsman caste worker castes Animals temporal service castes Plants outcastes high animals Inanimate world; lifeless low animals plants Pure Matter inanimate world

  23. What is Christianity? • Belief system • Description of reality (worldview) • Religion • Spiritual disposition • Movement of followers of Christ • Way of life Video – Thinking Christianly by Jonathan Morrow

  24. What does it mean to be Christian? • Relationship with God and Christ • Engagement of God’s mission • Spirit of humility • Engagement of our culture • Spiritual development • Living by love of God and others Video - Three Seconds

  25. Culture defined: • Culture is the integrated system of learned patterns of ideas, values, behavior, and products characteristic of a society. • “Kultur” – early 19th century German • E. B. Tylor pioneer anthropologist borrowed in 1871 to designate “the total nonbiologically transmitted heritage of man” • Considered one of the most important contributions of anthropology to the missionary endeavor (Luzbetak 1963, 59).

  26. Culture is a product of God’s creation of humanity in His image • Humanity by its nature creates culture • Humanity was created as a relational being Culture is Dynamic

  27. Culture is a product of God’s creation of humanity in His image • Culture is a dynamic vehicle by which humanity perpetuates its ideas, values, learning, behavior, and products. • Ability to share ideas • Develop and evaluate values • Evaluate and regulate behavior • Ability to envision, create and construct • Constantly changing (dynamic)

  28. Culture is different from worldview • Culture is society’s integrated activities • Ways of thinking and actions in society • Culture is influenced by worldview • Worldview consists of peoples’ interpretation of reality • Intellectual and philosophical understanding and beliefs that motivate and direct behaviors and actions

  29. Worldview – set of presuppositions about the makeup of one’s world. Worldviewis how a person perceives and interprets reality, which is used for living. Culture ‘s learned system is based on one’s worldview • Culture is an integrated system of learned patterns of ideas, values, behavior, and products to meet the needs of its members.

  30. Worldview Defined Definition: “Worldview is a fundamental cognitive, affective and evaluative assumptions a group of people make about the nature of things, and which they order their lives.” – Paul Hiebert OR Worldviews are how people perceive and interpret reality, which they use for living. OR “A set of presuppositions which we hold about the makeup of our world.” – James W. Sire

  31. Dimensions of Culture & Worldview WORLDVIEW Cognitive Culture EXPERIENCES CULTURE Evaluative Behavior Products Decisions Affective Adapted from Paul Hiebert: used by permission

  32. Culture • Elements of Definition of Culture • Integrated • Learned - cognitive • Ideas - cognitive • Values - evaluative • Behavior – evaluative and affective • Products – affective • Society – socio-economic systems, how communities are organized

  33. Culture • Cultural Diversity • Language • Physical items • Life style • Relationship with others • Values • Gestures • Personal space

  34. Culture What is attractive? What do you find appealing? What kind of lips?

  35. Culture OR

  36. Culture • What is considered beautiful is cultural (affective) • “’Culture’ came to mean not merely the aggregates of human thought and behavior, but both the systems of beliefs that lie behind ideas and actions and the symbols by which those ideas and actions are expressed. Cultures are seen as integrated wholes in which the many parts work together to meet the basic needs of their members” Hiebert 1985, Insights, 21).

  37. Culture • What is the relationship between God and culture? Or • What is the relationship between Christianity and culture? • Understanding Christ’s relationship to culture gives us an example to follow!

  38. God & Culture • H. Richard Niebuhr (1951 Christ & Culture) • Discussed five relationships that western theologians have seen between Christ and culture. • Five Perspectives: • Christ against culture • Christ of culture • Christ above culture • Christ and culture in paradox • Christ transforming culture (in and above)

  39. Culture God and Culture • Four Perspectives of God and Culture • God Against Culture • God In Culture • God Above Culture • God Above but Through Culture

  40. Culture God and Culture • God Against Culture – holds that God is opposed to culture • Christians withdraw, reject, escape, isolate, or insulate themselves from the world • Problems with this view • (1 Jn. 2:15-16; 5:19) kosmos– evil use of culture • Assumes because Satan uses culture evilly = all culture is evil • Culture is not just external but in us

  41. Culture God and Culture • God In Culture • Views God as created by humanity for something above themselves • God is seen as supporting ones own culture • Problems with this view • Makes humanity the source of God whether intentionally or for psychological reasons • Makes God a tool to support ones own ethnic identity (Acts 10, 15 - Jews and Gentles debate)

  42. Culture God and Culture • God Above Culture • Deism • Distant God and not involved • Belief is good for moral direction • No belief in supernatural working of God • Problems with this view • Takes God out of our daily lives • Removes God’s incarnation • God is simply rule maker not a father/relational • Turns it into a closed system created by a remote God

  43. Culture God and Culture • God Above but Through Culture • This view understands God as above (not limited by) culture but using culture as a vehicle for interaction with human beings. • Culture can have both good and bad to varying degrees • God works as well as his followers within cultures for His desires and goals • Incarnation – Christ human and divine Yahweh Culture Christ in Culture – Example of Service

  44. Culture • All cultures change • Contact with other people • Environmental changes • Development • Education • Modernization • Globalization

  45. Culture Bluetooth has arrived

  46. God & CultureThree Discussion Questions What’s your story? Os Guinness shares his Why did God create humanity? How does God work to change culture? What role do Christians have in God’s work?

  47. God & Culture • Bible Recognizes the Place of Culture: • Adam & Eve began culture • Created with free will (relationship) • God communicated with them even after sinning • God provided for them even after sinning • God provided direction for life • Cain & Able • Cain protected • Flood points to God control of the world • God works in the midst of those who do evil • God decides the limits and results of excluding God • Tower of Babel • Humanity struggles with pride to exclude God and make themselves the final authority

  48. God & Culture • Bible Recognizes the Place of Culture: • Abraham – through him “all peoples blessed” • Interaction with King of Egypt • Descendent from his servant or Hagar • Nose ring (Gen. 24:47) • Egyptian and Israelites (Gen. 43:32) • Men and earrings (Gen. 35:4; Ex. 32:2; 35:22) • At the gates (Ruth 4:1ff; Josh 20:1ff) • Sandal given (Ruth 4:7ff) • Saul and medium of En-dor (1 Sam. 28:7) • Covenants (used in ancient Near East)

  49. God & Culture Culture in the Bible • Birth of Christ • Jews and Samaritans (Jn. 4:9) • Cultural problems • Racism • Sexism • Life style • Jews and Gentiles (Acts 10:28; 11:3) • Racism and Christianity • Christianity and culture

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