Called to live in the world, but not of it, the balancing act for Christians becomes more precarious the further our culture departs from its Judeo-Christian roots. How should members of the church interact with such a culture, especially as deeply enmeshed as most of us have become? Here, D. A. Carson applies his masterful touch to the problem. He begins by exploring the classic typology of Reinhold Niebuhr and his five options offered for understanding culture. Carson proposes that these disparate options are in reality one still larger vision. Using the Bibles own story line and the categories of biblical theology, he attempts to work out what that unifying vision is. More than theory, however, Christ and Culture Revisited is designed practically to help Christians untangle current messy debates on living in the world. Carson further expands the discussion with numerous comparisons between the United States and cultures elsewhere. Though there are several recent books on culture that interact with Niebuhr, none takes anything like the biblical-theological approach adopted here. Groundbreaking and challenging, Christ and Culture Revisited is a tour de force.
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Editorial Reviews
Review
Mark Dever
-- Pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Washington, D.C.
"Don Carson here writes clearly, carefully, and helpfully about the timely topic of how Christians should engage culture. Well-suited to write such a volume, Carson exposes and explodes 'egregious reductionisms' which he says too often afflict Christians. Reading this book has sharpened my own understanding. So buy the book you're holding. Read it. Pass it along to folks in your congregation. And reduce 'egregious reductionisms'!"
Tim Keller
-- Pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church, New York City
"There is no more crucial issue facing us today than the relationship of the church and the gospel to contemporary culture. Don Carson's treatment of this issue is the most balanced one out there. Rather than grinding an ax or pushing his own paradigm, he listens carefully to the Scripture and brings us in the end to a sophisticated simplicity about these matters. I highly recommend this book."
Christianity Today
"Make room on the shelf for this penetrating book by Carson." --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
-- Pastor of Capitol Hill Baptist Church, Washington, D.C.
"Don Carson here writes clearly, carefully, and helpfully about the timely topic of how Christians should engage culture. Well-suited to write such a volume, Carson exposes and explodes 'egregious reductionisms' which he says too often afflict Christians. Reading this book has sharpened my own understanding. So buy the book you're holding. Read it. Pass it along to folks in your congregation. And reduce 'egregious reductionisms'!"
Tim Keller
-- Pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church, New York City
"There is no more crucial issue facing us today than the relationship of the church and the gospel to contemporary culture. Don Carson's treatment of this issue is the most balanced one out there. Rather than grinding an ax or pushing his own paradigm, he listens carefully to the Scripture and brings us in the end to a sophisticated simplicity about these matters. I highly recommend this book."
Christianity Today
"Make room on the shelf for this penetrating book by Carson." --This text refers to the Paperback edition.
About the Author
D. A. Carson is research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School, Deerfield, Illinois. He has written nearly fifty other books, including The Gagging of God: Christianity Confronts Pluralism and How Long, O Lord? Reflections on Suffering and Evil.
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More About the Author
D. A. Carson (Ph.D., University of Cambridge) is research professor of New Testament at Trinity Evangelical Divinity School in Deerfield, Illinois. He is the author or coauthor of over 45 books, including the Gold Medallion Award-winning book The Gagging of God and An Introduction to the New Testament, and is general editor of Telling the Truth: Evangelizing Postmoderns and Worship by the Book. He has served as a pastor and is an active guest lecturer in church and academic settings around the world.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
197 of 201 people found the following review helpful
By Ben Bartlett
Format:Hardcover
How shall Christ and Culture interact? The question is universal. From Christians hiding in China, to the power and majesty of Catholicism, to the Moral Majority in America, to the reclusive Amish communities in Pennsylvania, the Church has struggled with the correct understanding of how faith applies to local context. For years, various groups have fit themselves into one of H. Richard Niebuhr's five categories;
Christ against Culture,
Christ of Culture,
Christ above Culture,
Christ and Culture in Paradox, and
Christ the Transformer of Culture.
D.A. Carson's, "Christ and Culture Revisited," critiques Niebuhr, and offers a more thoughtful and orthodox path forward. It is an excellent bird's eye view of a contentious topic, painted with broad but well-researched strokes. In this review I describe its six chapters, draw out the, "takeaway," ideas, insert a few notes, and give my overall thoughts.
Summary
Chapter 1 explains and reviews Niebuhr's, "Christ and Culture." Niebuhr's categories cast a fairly wide net, and Carson's analysis begins to narrow it. He argues that at least one category (Christ of Culture) necessitates a heretical view of Christianity, and as such is not acceptable as a category.
Chapter 2 continues critiquing Niebuhr by applying biblical theology. Carson evaluates Niebuhr's strengths and weaknesses, handling of Scripture, assignment of historical figures, and understanding of canon. He also makes a key argument; to suggest that there are multiple views of Christ and Culture and that individual groups can rightly choose just one is incorrect. This limiting of oneself to a single theme of Scripture (such as, say, appreciating God as Creator but not as Redeemer) is an affront to the wholesale acceptance of the historical-Biblical perspective. It is akin to saying you are eating a Caesar salad when really you are just eating lettuce (my metaphor).
Carson then shows that a true paradigm for understanding Christ and Culture must necessarily accept a "bundle" of clear Scriptural perspectives. This bundle includes;
Creation and Fall,
Israel and the Law,
Christ and New Covenant, and
Heaven and Hell.
Any paradigm that does not include or proportionally mishandles these perspectives is inherently flawed and inconsistent with orthodox Christianity.
Chapter 3 will be familiar to those who follow Carson's work, but frustrating to those who do not. As in many of his other lectures and writings, he spends considerable time interacting with his critics. This chapter could easily be skipped by the curious layman, because it is mostly technical discussion of the definitions for culture and postmodernism. However, it is a good chapter for those who want to understand the technical issues caught up with this type of critique, and have strong background in the debates surrounding these terms.
Chapter 4 discusses four major forces that impact and at times bend or challenge our understanding of Christ's role in culture. These four forces are the lure of secularization, the mystique of democracy, the worship of freedom, and the lust for power. The chapter seems primarily designed to be thoughtful about the many problems at work in designing a universally helpful understanding of Christ and Culture.
Chapter 5 tries to deal with one of the largest issues in the Christ and Culture issue; that of church and state. Once again, it seems to be a whirlwind tour of the major concepts that are tossed around when Christians try to plunge into this issue.
The first section deals with the disclarity regarding the terms, "religion," "church," and, "state." The second section then describes some biblical priorities for relationships between Church and State. It discusses Opposition and Persecution, Restricted Confrontation, Differing Fundamental Allegiances, Different Styles of Government and Reign, Transformation of Life and Therefore Social and Governmental Institutions, and In the End Jesus Wins.
Chapter 6 closes the discussion with three steps. First, he summarizes the argument of the book as a whole. Second, he discusses some of the disappointed agendas and frustrated utopias of various Christian groups. This includes The Fundamentalist Option, Luther and His Heirs, Abraham Kuyper, Minimalist Expectations, Post-Christendom Perspectives, and Persecution. The third and final step is the Conclusion.
The Conclusion, though short, ties all the themes and discussions together with his central thesis, alluded to throughout the book. To correctly discern the relationship between Christ and Culture, Christians must, "...pursue with a passion the robust and nourishing wholeness of biblical theology as the controlling matrix for our reflection on the relations between Christ and culture..." (p. 227) Carson's desire for fidelity to Scripture and willingness to reform to that end is very apparent.
Key Ideas
There are three helpful concepts that can be drawn from this book.
First, Niebuhr's five views of Christ and Culture cast too wide a net. They allow for disproportional and even heretical views of Christianity. A truly biblical view of the relationship between Christ and Culture cannot allow paradigms that are unfaithful to the Biblical witness.
Second, a view of Christ and Culture must be flexible enough to fit and interact with a massive variety of contextual problems and situations. In other words, if the Gospel is true, then a right view of Christ and Culture must give right guidance both to the rich American and the poor African, the persecuted Chinese and the free South Korean.
Third, right understanding of the Christ and Culture interaction in a local context is promoted by a commitment to biblical theology. In other words, Christians rightly handle the Christ and Culture problem when their actions in local context flow directly from a healthy and proportional acceptance of the key claims of Scripture.
Notes
This book is terrific, and its conclusions are enormously helpful. That said, it is fast and furious- Carson does not go out of his way to explain the wide-ranging theological, philosophical, and political topics he interacts with. He gives plenty of books to consider for those interested, but this is not a detailed analysis so much as a call to a more Scriptural framework for analyzing Christ and Culture in local context. I would recommend the book primarily for pastors, educators, and those with interest in political philosophy. A background in history, theology, law, or political science would be especially helpful.
Conclusion
Ultimately, Carson's book calls for Biblical faithfulness when we make choices. Should we be more or less involved in culture? Can a Christian go into politics? Should we try to transform culture with Christian art or withdraw by homeschooling our kids? What are the duties of the local church in regards to poverty? To government?
Carson leaves these choices to those in individual context, but challenges them to make sure their choices align correctly with a proportional, faithful exposition of the implications of Scripture's Truth. It is a worthwhile challenge.
Christ against Culture,
Christ of Culture,
Christ above Culture,
Christ and Culture in Paradox, and
Christ the Transformer of Culture.
D.A. Carson's, "Christ and Culture Revisited," critiques Niebuhr, and offers a more thoughtful and orthodox path forward. It is an excellent bird's eye view of a contentious topic, painted with broad but well-researched strokes. In this review I describe its six chapters, draw out the, "takeaway," ideas, insert a few notes, and give my overall thoughts.
Summary
Chapter 1 explains and reviews Niebuhr's, "Christ and Culture." Niebuhr's categories cast a fairly wide net, and Carson's analysis begins to narrow it. He argues that at least one category (Christ of Culture) necessitates a heretical view of Christianity, and as such is not acceptable as a category.
Chapter 2 continues critiquing Niebuhr by applying biblical theology. Carson evaluates Niebuhr's strengths and weaknesses, handling of Scripture, assignment of historical figures, and understanding of canon. He also makes a key argument; to suggest that there are multiple views of Christ and Culture and that individual groups can rightly choose just one is incorrect. This limiting of oneself to a single theme of Scripture (such as, say, appreciating God as Creator but not as Redeemer) is an affront to the wholesale acceptance of the historical-Biblical perspective. It is akin to saying you are eating a Caesar salad when really you are just eating lettuce (my metaphor).
Carson then shows that a true paradigm for understanding Christ and Culture must necessarily accept a "bundle" of clear Scriptural perspectives. This bundle includes;
Creation and Fall,
Israel and the Law,
Christ and New Covenant, and
Heaven and Hell.
Any paradigm that does not include or proportionally mishandles these perspectives is inherently flawed and inconsistent with orthodox Christianity.
Chapter 3 will be familiar to those who follow Carson's work, but frustrating to those who do not. As in many of his other lectures and writings, he spends considerable time interacting with his critics. This chapter could easily be skipped by the curious layman, because it is mostly technical discussion of the definitions for culture and postmodernism. However, it is a good chapter for those who want to understand the technical issues caught up with this type of critique, and have strong background in the debates surrounding these terms.
Chapter 4 discusses four major forces that impact and at times bend or challenge our understanding of Christ's role in culture. These four forces are the lure of secularization, the mystique of democracy, the worship of freedom, and the lust for power. The chapter seems primarily designed to be thoughtful about the many problems at work in designing a universally helpful understanding of Christ and Culture.
Chapter 5 tries to deal with one of the largest issues in the Christ and Culture issue; that of church and state. Once again, it seems to be a whirlwind tour of the major concepts that are tossed around when Christians try to plunge into this issue.
The first section deals with the disclarity regarding the terms, "religion," "church," and, "state." The second section then describes some biblical priorities for relationships between Church and State. It discusses Opposition and Persecution, Restricted Confrontation, Differing Fundamental Allegiances, Different Styles of Government and Reign, Transformation of Life and Therefore Social and Governmental Institutions, and In the End Jesus Wins.
Chapter 6 closes the discussion with three steps. First, he summarizes the argument of the book as a whole. Second, he discusses some of the disappointed agendas and frustrated utopias of various Christian groups. This includes The Fundamentalist Option, Luther and His Heirs, Abraham Kuyper, Minimalist Expectations, Post-Christendom Perspectives, and Persecution. The third and final step is the Conclusion.
The Conclusion, though short, ties all the themes and discussions together with his central thesis, alluded to throughout the book. To correctly discern the relationship between Christ and Culture, Christians must, "...pursue with a passion the robust and nourishing wholeness of biblical theology as the controlling matrix for our reflection on the relations between Christ and culture..." (p. 227) Carson's desire for fidelity to Scripture and willingness to reform to that end is very apparent.
Key Ideas
There are three helpful concepts that can be drawn from this book.
First, Niebuhr's five views of Christ and Culture cast too wide a net. They allow for disproportional and even heretical views of Christianity. A truly biblical view of the relationship between Christ and Culture cannot allow paradigms that are unfaithful to the Biblical witness.
Second, a view of Christ and Culture must be flexible enough to fit and interact with a massive variety of contextual problems and situations. In other words, if the Gospel is true, then a right view of Christ and Culture must give right guidance both to the rich American and the poor African, the persecuted Chinese and the free South Korean.
Third, right understanding of the Christ and Culture interaction in a local context is promoted by a commitment to biblical theology. In other words, Christians rightly handle the Christ and Culture problem when their actions in local context flow directly from a healthy and proportional acceptance of the key claims of Scripture.
Notes
This book is terrific, and its conclusions are enormously helpful. That said, it is fast and furious- Carson does not go out of his way to explain the wide-ranging theological, philosophical, and political topics he interacts with. He gives plenty of books to consider for those interested, but this is not a detailed analysis so much as a call to a more Scriptural framework for analyzing Christ and Culture in local context. I would recommend the book primarily for pastors, educators, and those with interest in political philosophy. A background in history, theology, law, or political science would be especially helpful.
Conclusion
Ultimately, Carson's book calls for Biblical faithfulness when we make choices. Should we be more or less involved in culture? Can a Christian go into politics? Should we try to transform culture with Christian art or withdraw by homeschooling our kids? What are the duties of the local church in regards to poverty? To government?
Carson leaves these choices to those in individual context, but challenges them to make sure their choices align correctly with a proportional, faithful exposition of the implications of Scripture's Truth. It is a worthwhile challenge.
31 of 33 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
In 1951 H. Richard Niebuhr penned his now classic volume, Christ and Culture. In it he sought to explore the "enduring problem" of the "many-sided debate about Christianity and civilization". In an attempt to come to terms with this complex and important issue, he presented various models of this relationship.
The result was his famous fivefold reply: Christ against Culture; Christ of Culture; Christ above Culture; Christ and Culture in Paradox; and Christ the Transformer of Culture. Each of these models he describes in detail, and he notes both strengths and weaknesses to the five options. He suggests that believers will have to make up their own minds as to which is the preferred option.
In Carson's new volume he seeks to carry on from where Niebuhr left off. He begins by assessing his work and the five models. He rightly notes that for Niebuhr the real issue is not so much how Christianity relates to culture, but "two sources of authority as they compete within society, namely Christ ... and every other source of authority divested of Christ". And Niebuhr is especially thinking of secular or civil authority here, Carson reminds us.
Carson also notes some weaknesses in Niebuhr's important volume. He did a good job of aligning various historical figures with the five models, but sometimes the fit is far from precise. For example, while Augustine or Calvin may well fit in the transformationist model, they do so only partially. And Tertullian cannot consistently be seen as fitting in the opposition ("against") model. And so on.
Carson then discusses the biblical plotline, and what are some nonnegotiable elements of the biblical worldview. He rightly notes that we do very much have a responsibility to our surrounding culture. Believers have a relationship with God "in the context of embodied existence". Indeed, as image bearers of God, we have "responsibilities toward the rest of the created order - responsibilities of governance and care".
He discusses the fall and sin, and the call of Israel. But he notes that with the arrival of Christ, something new entered human affairs: "up to that point in history, religion and state were everywhere intertwined". This was just as true of Israel as with the surrounding pagan nations.
But when Jesus announced that we should "give back to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's" he initiated a whole new paradigm. Prior to Jesus there were no genuinely secular states. All nations were involved with gods. Jesus was the first to highlight that there are two separate and distinct realms here. They of course overlap, but are not identical.
Thus there has always being - even if imperfectly - church-state divisions within Christendom. Islam of course has never known this dichotomy, nor does it want to. And Carson reminds us that in the words of Jesus we have real differentiation between Caesar and God. However, Jesus intended that God should have the pre-eminence.
Of course how all that fleshes itself out in the daily life of both individuals and nations is the big question - the sort of question that Niebuhr sought to address. And that is what Carson seeks to further explore in this book.
Other theological givens must inform our thinking on this issue. For example, the now commonly accepted understanding of believers "living between the times" comes into play here. We live between the inauguration of Christ's kingdom, and its consummation. Thus we live in both the old age and the new age, and tensions abound.
In the light of this biblical truth, believers should neither expect utopia on earth, nor settle for corrupt and unjust rule. We can fight for justice, although realising that perfection can never be achieved in a fallen world. Our ideals must be tempered by realism.
Carson examines other issues, such as the postmodern understanding of culture. In contrast to the cultural relativism that characterises postmodern thought, Carson argues that biblical motifs regarding culture must be adhered to. These include the awareness that there is a mixture of good and evil in every culture, and that all cultures ultimately stand under the judgment of God.
Of course the biblical belief in, and understanding of, absolute and universal moral truth makes it possible for us to evaluate and assess every culture. We can determine, albeit imperfectly, how close to, or how far away from, a culture is in relation to God's moral standards.
Carson also devotes substantial chapters to the concepts of freedom, democracy, secularism, church and state relationships, and power. Democracy, for example, is a great good, but it is not the Kingdom of God, and is limited in many ways. A healthy democracy depends upon a shared set of values and beliefs. But when this unity is frayed, then democracies tend to unravel. And as democracies disintegrate, stronger and more intrusive state powers are needed to hold things together.
With the West quickly abandoning its Judeo-Christian roots, there seems to be little on the horizon to takes its place in terms of holding a nation together with a common core of beliefs and values. As people in a democracy increasingly disagree on what is the good or what it means to be free, the state steps in more and more, and people become less free.
The only real check to unrestrained statism and state power is the biblical notion that God alone is the ultimate authority, and no man-made authority should overstep it bounds. "The doctrine of God reminds us that we are not ultimate: God is" says Carson. And the "doctrine of creation tells us that we are not our own: we are responsible to the One who made us".
In the end, says Carson, Christianity cannot be reduced to merely privatised religion, and we have obligations to both the state and the surrounding culture. But a Christian's ultimate loyalties are with God, and he must be preeminent in everything.
The result was his famous fivefold reply: Christ against Culture; Christ of Culture; Christ above Culture; Christ and Culture in Paradox; and Christ the Transformer of Culture. Each of these models he describes in detail, and he notes both strengths and weaknesses to the five options. He suggests that believers will have to make up their own minds as to which is the preferred option.
In Carson's new volume he seeks to carry on from where Niebuhr left off. He begins by assessing his work and the five models. He rightly notes that for Niebuhr the real issue is not so much how Christianity relates to culture, but "two sources of authority as they compete within society, namely Christ ... and every other source of authority divested of Christ". And Niebuhr is especially thinking of secular or civil authority here, Carson reminds us.
Carson also notes some weaknesses in Niebuhr's important volume. He did a good job of aligning various historical figures with the five models, but sometimes the fit is far from precise. For example, while Augustine or Calvin may well fit in the transformationist model, they do so only partially. And Tertullian cannot consistently be seen as fitting in the opposition ("against") model. And so on.
Carson then discusses the biblical plotline, and what are some nonnegotiable elements of the biblical worldview. He rightly notes that we do very much have a responsibility to our surrounding culture. Believers have a relationship with God "in the context of embodied existence". Indeed, as image bearers of God, we have "responsibilities toward the rest of the created order - responsibilities of governance and care".
He discusses the fall and sin, and the call of Israel. But he notes that with the arrival of Christ, something new entered human affairs: "up to that point in history, religion and state were everywhere intertwined". This was just as true of Israel as with the surrounding pagan nations.
But when Jesus announced that we should "give back to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God what is God's" he initiated a whole new paradigm. Prior to Jesus there were no genuinely secular states. All nations were involved with gods. Jesus was the first to highlight that there are two separate and distinct realms here. They of course overlap, but are not identical.
Thus there has always being - even if imperfectly - church-state divisions within Christendom. Islam of course has never known this dichotomy, nor does it want to. And Carson reminds us that in the words of Jesus we have real differentiation between Caesar and God. However, Jesus intended that God should have the pre-eminence.
Of course how all that fleshes itself out in the daily life of both individuals and nations is the big question - the sort of question that Niebuhr sought to address. And that is what Carson seeks to further explore in this book.
Other theological givens must inform our thinking on this issue. For example, the now commonly accepted understanding of believers "living between the times" comes into play here. We live between the inauguration of Christ's kingdom, and its consummation. Thus we live in both the old age and the new age, and tensions abound.
In the light of this biblical truth, believers should neither expect utopia on earth, nor settle for corrupt and unjust rule. We can fight for justice, although realising that perfection can never be achieved in a fallen world. Our ideals must be tempered by realism.
Carson examines other issues, such as the postmodern understanding of culture. In contrast to the cultural relativism that characterises postmodern thought, Carson argues that biblical motifs regarding culture must be adhered to. These include the awareness that there is a mixture of good and evil in every culture, and that all cultures ultimately stand under the judgment of God.
Of course the biblical belief in, and understanding of, absolute and universal moral truth makes it possible for us to evaluate and assess every culture. We can determine, albeit imperfectly, how close to, or how far away from, a culture is in relation to God's moral standards.
Carson also devotes substantial chapters to the concepts of freedom, democracy, secularism, church and state relationships, and power. Democracy, for example, is a great good, but it is not the Kingdom of God, and is limited in many ways. A healthy democracy depends upon a shared set of values and beliefs. But when this unity is frayed, then democracies tend to unravel. And as democracies disintegrate, stronger and more intrusive state powers are needed to hold things together.
With the West quickly abandoning its Judeo-Christian roots, there seems to be little on the horizon to takes its place in terms of holding a nation together with a common core of beliefs and values. As people in a democracy increasingly disagree on what is the good or what it means to be free, the state steps in more and more, and people become less free.
The only real check to unrestrained statism and state power is the biblical notion that God alone is the ultimate authority, and no man-made authority should overstep it bounds. "The doctrine of God reminds us that we are not ultimate: God is" says Carson. And the "doctrine of creation tells us that we are not our own: we are responsible to the One who made us".
In the end, says Carson, Christianity cannot be reduced to merely privatised religion, and we have obligations to both the state and the surrounding culture. But a Christian's ultimate loyalties are with God, and he must be preeminent in everything.
16 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This is a rich, revealing, and satisfying survey of how believers relate to the culture in which they live. In the first chapter, Carson adopts Clifford Geertz's definition of culture, which is "an historically transmitted pattern of meanings embodied in symbols ...by means of which men communicate, perpetuate, and develop their knowledge about and attitudes toward life (p. 2)."
He also revisits Richard Niebuhr's five constructs which he finds in scripture: Christ against Culture, the Christ of culture, Christ Above Culture, Christ and Culture in paradox, and Christ the Transformer of culture. In chapter two, Carson concludes that the second option is probably unbiblical and that the other four constructs can be true in different times and places, and that it is better to see these as working together rather than four buffet style pick and choose options.
Carson also mentions some non-negotiable teachings in the biblical storyline that must be the foundation of any understanding of how the Christian relates to culture: 1. God made everything good, but that this is a fallen world because of original sin inherited through Adam and Eve 2. Jesus came to inaugerate the New Covenant and to die for our sins and rise again to be the king of the universe 3. There is a heaven to be gained and a hell to be feared.
Chapter three discusses Christ, culture and postmodernism. While Carson acknowledges that culture colors the way we perceive truth, this does not support the postmodern idea that we cannot know truth as truth. We can acknowledge with emergent church leaders that all of our knowledge is interpreted, and also agree with scripture that truth is important and reliable.
There is also a chapter about the Christian and secularism, power, democracy, and freedom. Carson notes that Jesus himself taught us that some sort of distinction between Christ and Caesar (government) must be maintained (Mark 12 - Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's). He also notes that not all democracies are created equal - the democracies in Iraq and Afghanistan, for example, are still very fragile.
Carson also mentions that the radical left would like to force groups like the Boy Scouts to subscribe to their liberal egalitarian vision for America.
He mentions the tension between majority rule and the drive to preserve the rights of the minority. He concludes by noting that secularism, freedom, power, and democracy cannot be properly labeled good or evil. They can be either, depending on the context. He observes that Christian communities who desire to live out the Word of God will invariably encounter and confront aspects of culture that are not in line with the
Word. We must sacrifically serve and minister to people within this complex culture.
There is also a long chapter on the church and state. Carson discusses the origin of the idea of the "wall of separation" between the two, and that it originates within a letter that Thomas Jefferson wrote to John Adams in 1802, and that it has been applied in many different ways other than what Jefferson had in mind.
Carson recommends that Christians live out their faith together in community, become more bold in their witness, and do ministries that others would rather leave to government agencies, such as mentoring kids without dads, teaching kids to read, looking after the sick and the elderly, feeding the poor, etc.
This is an exciting and intellectually stimulating book. Thinking Christians won't want to miss it.
He also revisits Richard Niebuhr's five constructs which he finds in scripture: Christ against Culture, the Christ of culture, Christ Above Culture, Christ and Culture in paradox, and Christ the Transformer of culture. In chapter two, Carson concludes that the second option is probably unbiblical and that the other four constructs can be true in different times and places, and that it is better to see these as working together rather than four buffet style pick and choose options.
Carson also mentions some non-negotiable teachings in the biblical storyline that must be the foundation of any understanding of how the Christian relates to culture: 1. God made everything good, but that this is a fallen world because of original sin inherited through Adam and Eve 2. Jesus came to inaugerate the New Covenant and to die for our sins and rise again to be the king of the universe 3. There is a heaven to be gained and a hell to be feared.
Chapter three discusses Christ, culture and postmodernism. While Carson acknowledges that culture colors the way we perceive truth, this does not support the postmodern idea that we cannot know truth as truth. We can acknowledge with emergent church leaders that all of our knowledge is interpreted, and also agree with scripture that truth is important and reliable.
There is also a chapter about the Christian and secularism, power, democracy, and freedom. Carson notes that Jesus himself taught us that some sort of distinction between Christ and Caesar (government) must be maintained (Mark 12 - Give to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's). He also notes that not all democracies are created equal - the democracies in Iraq and Afghanistan, for example, are still very fragile.
Carson also mentions that the radical left would like to force groups like the Boy Scouts to subscribe to their liberal egalitarian vision for America.
He mentions the tension between majority rule and the drive to preserve the rights of the minority. He concludes by noting that secularism, freedom, power, and democracy cannot be properly labeled good or evil. They can be either, depending on the context. He observes that Christian communities who desire to live out the Word of God will invariably encounter and confront aspects of culture that are not in line with the
Word. We must sacrifically serve and minister to people within this complex culture.
There is also a long chapter on the church and state. Carson discusses the origin of the idea of the "wall of separation" between the two, and that it originates within a letter that Thomas Jefferson wrote to John Adams in 1802, and that it has been applied in many different ways other than what Jefferson had in mind.
Carson recommends that Christians live out their faith together in community, become more bold in their witness, and do ministries that others would rather leave to government agencies, such as mentoring kids without dads, teaching kids to read, looking after the sick and the elderly, feeding the poor, etc.
This is an exciting and intellectually stimulating book. Thinking Christians won't want to miss it.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
4.0 out of 5 stars
Excellent revision of the original
As we can expect from D.A. Carson, this book is very thorough and detailed in his critique and analysis of the classical work by R.Niebuhr. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Watch fan
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Just as expected!
The book arrived just on time and in the condition promised. Very nice, my dad was very appreciative! I would use these sellers again!
Published on January 12, 2011 by Bethany from the Chi
3.0 out of 5 stars
Culture Remedy comes in Eternity
I gave it three stars because the book is really slow and if you haven't read Neibur's Christ and Culture you may be confused for a good portion of the book. Read more
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In 1951, H. Richard Niebuhr published his book Christ and Culture. It is still available from used book sources, and in 2001 Harper Collins republished it (it is available from... Read more
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4.0 out of 5 stars
Christ & Culture Revisited
We are using this book for a Bible study class and find it pretty interesting with the help of our pastor.
Published on December 26, 2008 by C. Rozendaal
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Published on October 19, 2008 by Trevin Wax
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Best I've Read on These Issues - A Must Read, but a Challenging...
Oustanding, helpful, Biblical tour-de-force by Carson. He clearly shows the inadequacies of many 'Christian' approaches to cutlure (with particular focus on Niehbur) while he also... Read more
Published on September 18, 2008 by David A. Vosseller
4.0 out of 5 stars
I just started reading it, but it looks good so far.
I just started reading this, but it is classic Carson. I expect the rest will be pretty good too.
Published on June 18, 2008 by Dan
