Christ Transforming Culture?

"Ironically, having set out to transform culture, both liberal and conservative forms of Christianity in  North America today find themselves transformed by late-capitalist, liberal-individualist culture during the last century. It is little more than empty rhetoric, then, for liberals and conservatives to claim to be transforming culture and to accuse those who reject the Christ transforming culture model as irresponsible and irrelevant. What could be more irrelevant than Christian leaders who beg the government to pass laws to coerce their own church members into caring for the poor or refusing the abortion temptation, when those Christian leaders cannot convince their own flocks to do these things on the basis of the Bible? There is a glaring parallel between liberal Christians lobbying the government to tax the capitalists in their own flocks and redistribute the money to the poor, on one hand, and conservative Christians lobbying the government to outlaw abortion, so members of their own flock will not have it as an option. No wonder politicians often have so little respect for religious lobbyists."

-Craig A. Carter, Rethinking Christ and Culture

Comments

[Becky]

I think this is a sad thing to see that.

[grace]

Bob,
I'm currently reading Everything Must Change. To be honest, the quotes you've posted so far seem like a much more balanced approach to some of the same ideas and issues that Brian raised in his book.

[Sam Andress]

Nice quote Bob. I too read this book. During seminary I took a class called "Christ Transforming Culture" and of course Neibuhr's classic was the main text along with some Kuyperian lectures on Calvinism. I find myself more compelled by the voices of Hauerwas and Yoder, even Glenn Stassen at Fuller. But Craig's book is a great book and a much needed one on the issue of Christ Transforming Culture.

The problem with Neibuhr's original work as you may have surmized is that it was a sort of sociological reflection and most troubling, his Christ did not have a body, there is no church in Niebuhr's work!

Perhaps this has led to some of the demise of the mainline. Perhaps this has also deeply affected an evangelical church which has no ecclesiology because its not a church its a movement with churches that often function more like tent revivals.

But great quote!

[curtis klope]

wow... that's some hard hitting stuff. The liberal/conservative parallels are very interesting, hadn't thought of it like that before.

So, is the author advocating for a Mennonite-like position, where we retract from government/political involvement? I guess I'm just curious where he's taking this... I like the sound of it though.

[Tucson Christian Church]

This country was founded on Biblical principles. We are on a slippery slope. We are rapidly becoming a Christ void country.

According to what I read, 67% of American's claim to be Christian. If that were the case we would not be in the shape we are in.

The pastor is a leader. He or she will not stand in our place on judgment day.

WE are accountable for our choices. The best choice is to choose Jesus and read the Bible and do what is says!