Page 21 - Christ and Culture Textbook

Prime Example: The ideas of Augustine (4th century)
 Christ is the transformer of culture for Augustine.
 In the sense that he redirects, reinvigorates, and regenerates that life of man, expressed in all
human works.
 Which in present actuality is the perverted and corrupted exercise of a fundamentally good
nature.
 There is room within this view for the thought that mathematics, logic, and natural science, the
fine arts and technology, may all become both the beneficiaries of the conversion of man’s love
and the instruments of that new love of God that rejoices in His whole creation and serves all
His creatures.
 Everything, and not least the political life, is subject to the great conversion that ensues when
God makes a new beginning for man by causing man to begin with God.

Strengths: The greatest strength of this view that Human culture can be transformed human life
in and to the glory of God.

Biblical Point of View
Each view above pointed out something important about the relation of Christ and culture. The
first view recognizes the reality of spiritual warfare. The second recognizes that there is good in
culture. The third recognizes that Christ is different from even what’ s best in culture. The fourth
view, what Niebuhr calls “dualism,” recognizes far more than the third the intense sinfulness of
culture.

From the biblical point of view, the fifth view seems to be consistent and can be sustained.
I believe that Christians should be seeking to transform culture according to the standards of
God’ s Word. This simply means that if you are a Christian you must have positive influence in
any area of your calling and work. In whatever you do you must be seeking to do the work as a
Christian, to apply God’ s standards in everything. Apostle Paul says, “whether you eat or drink,
or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.” As Christians, we should always seek to do this,
and in seeking to do this, we will have a huge impact on our culture.

God’s nature demands Holy Living (Transformation)
Leviticus 20:23–26 Moreover, you shall not follow the customs of the nation which I will drive
out before you, for they did all these things, and therefore I have abhorred them. Hence, I have
said to you, “You are to possess their land, and I Myself will give it to you to possess it, a land
flowing with milk and honey.” I am the LORD your God, who has separated you from the peoples.
‘You are therefore to make a distinction between the clean animal and the unclean, and between
the unclean bird and the clean; and you shall not make yourselves detestable by animal or by
bird or by anything that creeps on the ground, which I have separated for you as unclean. ‘Thus
you are to be holy to Me, for I the LORD am holy; and I have set you apart from the peoples to be
Mine.”

Isaiah 6:3 And one called out to another and said, “Holy, Holy, Holy, is the LORD of hosts, The
whole earth is full of His glory.”

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