on social concern…
Now the Word became flesh and took up residence among us. We saw his glory—the glory of the one and only, full of grace and truth, who came from the Father. (John 1.14)
Work to see that the city where I sent you as exiles enjoys peace and prosperity. Pray to the Lord for it. For as it prospers you will prosper. (Jeremiah 29.7)
Last week, I suggested a framework for thinking about politics… If you didn’t read that entry, I strongly recommend you do so before continuing. This week is a sequel to what I presented.
The challenge of “politics” really begs the larger question: is there a biblical basis for “social concern and cultural engagement?” Should Christians get involved in social issues?
Historically, the Church has responded in 5 different ways. These are outlined in H.R. Niebuhr’s classic book, Christ and Culture. Here is a quick summary:
1. Christ against Culture: Christians view culture with suspicion and separate from cultural engagement. Social issues are irreparable because all of culture is fatally corrupted by sin. Therefore, the Church withdraws, cares for her own, and awaits the return of our Savior.
2. Christ of Culture: This is the other extreme. The Church wholly and uncritically identifies with culture. An indiscriminating Church ratifies the aspirations of the culture, and, therefore, what culture defines as a problem, the Church defines as a problem. There is little or no conflict between culture and what the Church understands as true, good, and beautiful.
3. Christ above Culture: Culture is regarded as fundamentally good but needs tweaks and tune-ups that the Church can augment through the application of Christian revelation. The Church is the "friend" of culture—that is, we help culture achieve what she longs for but will remain unsuccessful in securing without our assistance.
4. Christ and Culture in Paradox: This shares similarities with #3 above. Here, the Church sees culture as originally good, but it has now been compromised by sin. The Church’s relationship is paradoxical because we simultaneously embrace parts of culture while rejecting certain aspects of it.
While Niebuhr’s book has been critiqued over the years and iterated upon, it still provides a good starting point for our discussion. It provides a starting point for how we will answer the question above: "Is there a biblical basis for social concern and cultural engagement?”
Ultimately, I think there are only 2 possible answers to this question. One is that we escape the world, and the other is that we fully inhabit the world. If we escape, then we reject, abandon, and turn our backs on the world around us. We will create a parallel society and hunker in our Christian bunker. There, we will await the return of Christ and His impending judgment, which will satisfy His wrath against all sin. Addressing social issues and cultural engagement, given the imminent return of Christ, is like rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.
In contrast, to fully inhabit our world will mean that we intentionally turn our faces towards the world in compassion because we feel deep within our hearts the love of God, which cannot be quenched or contained. Social concern and cultural engagement, from this perspective, is our response to the Great Commission — to teach us to obey everything God has commanded us to do (Matthew 28.19-20). The Incarnation becomes the prominent expression of this perspective. Like Jesus, the Church is given to the world as Jesus was given to the world — to live, serve, and, if necessary, suffer and/or die. Instead of escaping from the world, the Church is called to open her eyes and see the harvest of souls and needs, to open her ears to hear His call to go out to the lost and lonely as they bring the Kingdom — in word and deed— to a world polluted by sin and corrupted by need.
I don’t think it will come as a surprise to you, dear reader, that I think we are to fully inhabit our world — to be God’s incarnate presence, extending the Kingdom and the King so that all the benefits of His gracious presence, incarnate in Jesus, may be expressed today.
Still, I realize that I have rambled and still have not answered my original question: “is there a biblical basis for social concern and cultural engagement?” I believe there are 5 great confessional understandings of the Church concerning
1. God
2. Humanity
3. Jesus Christ
4. Salvation and
5. The People of God -- The Church
that will ground, inspire, shape, and commission us. Together, these 5 will provide us with a compelling framework for multiplying God’s Kingdom presence in our world today. While I think any one of the above is reason enough, I think holding all 5 together will compel us to engage our world as an act of worship, gratitude, and love.
More to come...
