for all that is remembered

Saturday, January 16

Correspondence on culture

G: Dear brother L,
What do you think of "Cultural Mandate"? Can you recommend an article/book on this issue? Thank you.

L: I think there is a close relationship between the cultural or dominion mandate of Gen 1:26-28 and the great commission or evangelistic mandate of Matt 28:18-20. It is vital that men and women are first converted before they are able to properly cultivate this world to God's glory. Christians should be very concerned about culture since this is what God has called His people to do since the beginning of the world.

I would recommend the books I used for my course in culture: 1) The Calvinistic Concept of Culture by Henry Van Til, 2) Lectures on Calvinism by Abraham Kuyper, 3) A Christian Manifesto by Francis Schaeffer. Start with Schaeffer as it's quite short and easy to understand.

I wrote a paper on the Christian pilgrim and culture if you're interested.

G: Thanks! I would like to get more understanding of the word 'culture'. Cultures are always changing; is there any 'best' 'Christian culture' in history? Perhaps the books will help.

I am sure I can benefit from the paper you wrote, too.

L: I think there is such a thing as a culture that is built on Christian principles. Change is part and parcel of the cultural/dominion mandate. The only question is whether it is changing in the right direction or not.

I've emailed the paper.

G: I am reading your paper, brother L, thank you. :)

There is something that has baffled me for sometime. 16th-17th century Europeans took their Bible most seriously, and yet that was also the era of insidious religious persecution? During the Renaissance cultural movement we see Christians artists, scientists, etc, 'at their best', yet it was also the climax of humanist spirit?

Looking back in history, what, in your opinion, was the best era that expressed best a 'Christian culture'? Was there such an era?

PS. I have already asked A and he told me to ask you - so I am still obeying 1 Cor. 14:35. :p

L: It's always nice to be able to discuss this issue of culture! Not many Christians today are interested in it.

The religious persecutions and wars during those centuries often arose because of a misunderstanding or misapplication of God's word. Even the reformers did not always get it right, especially in the area of church and state relations. As for the rise of humanism, it began when the authority of God's word was questioned and slowly replaced by human autonomy and wisdom.

I would say that the reformation and post-reformation periods provide us with many good examples of godly culture. The Reformation made an important contribution to culture in that it rejected the Romish idea of separation of nature and grace. Instead, it saw all of life as coming under the Lordship of Christ. So for example in the area of art/music, Christian artists were no longer restricted just to so-called religious/ecclesiastical themes but were at liberty to develop their art outside that sphere. The whole world of nature and creation became their theatre for art. Another example would be in the area of modern science, which really began around the 16th/17th century. The reformation fostered a love for science and the discovery of God's world, and restored it to its proper place. Christians today need to recover the fundamental principles of the reformation and go forward to further develop them. I think you'll find Abraham Kuyper's book on Calvinism very helpful.

(to be continued)

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So, I am now starting on Kuyper's Lectures on Calvinism. :)

posted by Graciana@Home at 8:42 pm