God

& Culture

Does God have a “culture?”

Features of

Culture

Culture has a

social dimension-

it binds people

together.

Features of

Culture

Culture also

divides-it

distinguishes us

from one

another.

Features of

Culture

Culture places

constraints on

behavior.

God &

Culture

God is a creator

of culture.

God &

Culture

God established

the parameters

for the first

culture.

Genesis 1:26

Then God said, ―Let us make man in our

image, in our likeness, and let them rule over

the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over

the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the

creatures that move along the ground.‖

What is

“dominion

” and what

implication

s does it

have for

culture?

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To rule over

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What is the connection between “ruling” and the

divine image?

Psalm8:6-8

You made him ruler over the works of your

hands; you put everything under his feet: all

flocks and herds, and the beasts of the field, the

birds of the air, and the fish of the sea, all that

swim the paths of the seas.

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This is the kind of “dominion” that Christ exercises.

Hebrews 2:7-8

In putting everything under him, God left

nothing that is not subject to him. Yet at present

we do not see everything subject to him.

Genesis 1:28

God blessed them and said to them, ―Be fruitful

and increase in number; fill the earth and

subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the

birds of the air and over every living creature

that moves on the ground.’

What does

the

command to

be “fruitful”

imply?

God had more

in view than

increasing the

population.

It is a

command to

establish

human culture.

It creates the

potential for

the reflection

of God in

human

culture.

God set the

boundaries

of behavior

and enforced

them.

Genesis 2:16-17

And the LORD God commanded the man, ―You

are free to eat from any tree in the garden; but

you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge

of good and evil, for when you eat of it you will

surely die.‖

Genesis 3:23-24

So the LORD God banished him from the

Garden of Eden to work the ground from which

he had been taken. After he drove the man

out, he placed on the east side of the Garden of

Eden cherubim and a flaming sword flashing

back and forth to guard the way to the tree of

life.

God &

Culture

God set

boundaries for

the culture of

worship.

Genesis 4:3-5

In the course of time Cain brought some of the

fruits of the soil as an offering to the LORD. But

Abel brought fat portions from some of the

firstborn of his flock. The LORD looked with

favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and

his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain

was very angry, and his face was downcast.

God revealed the priestly codes to Moses in 1445 B.C. at Sinai, immediately after the construction of the tabernacle. The purpose of these was to provide professional guidance for the priests and a detailed liturgy for the new house of God. J. Barton Payne, The Theology of the Older Testament, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1962), 326.

The Cultural Agenda of the

Law of Moses

God &

Culture

In the Law of

Moses, God also

legislated nearly

every aspect of

human society.

The Deuteronomic codes, on the other hand, were revealed on the plains of Moab almost forty years later, just before Israel entered Canaan, early in 1406 B.C….The purpose of the Deuteronomic codes was to guide the nation as a whole in its settlement in Canaan. They were popular instead of professional, as were the priestly codes. J. Barton Payne, The Theology of the Older Testament, (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 1962), 326.

The Cultural Agenda of the

Law of Moses

Is the Law

of Moses

God’s

“ideal”

culture?

1 Timothy 1:9-11

We also know that law is made not for the

righteous but for lawbreakers and rebels, the

ungodly and sinful, the unholy and irreligious;

for those who kill their fathers or mothers, for

murderers, for adulterers and perverts, for slave

traders and liars and perjurers—and for whatever

else is contrary to the sound doctrine that

conforms to the glorious gospel of the blessed

God, which he entrusted to me.

Colossians2:16-17

Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what

you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious

festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath

day. These are a shadow of the things that were

to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ.

Hebrews 10:1

The law is only a shadow of the good things that

are coming—not the realities themselves. For

this reason it can never, by the same sacrifices

repeated endlessly year after year, make perfect

those who draw near to worship.

Is there

such a

thing as

“Gospel

Culture?”

Galatians 3:28

There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor

free, male nor female, for you are all one in

Christ Jesus.

Colossians3:11

Here there is no Greek or Jew, circumcised or

uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or

free, but Christ is all, and is in all.

Paul emphasizes

inclusiveness –in Christ

there are no barbarians and

no outsiders.

What are

the features

of “Gospel

Culture?”

Colossians3:12-13

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and

dearly loved, clothe yourselves with

compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and

patience. Bear with each other and forgive

whatever grievances you may have against one

another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.

Colossians3:12-15

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and

dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion,

kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear

with each other and forgive whatever grievances

you may have against one another. Forgive as the

Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put

on love, which binds them all together in perfect

unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts,

since as members of one body you were called to

peace. And be thankful.

Is patience a

moral virtue?

Does it look

the same in

every culture?

God &

Culture

God’s Spirit is a

catalyst of

culture.

Exodus 31:6

Moreover, I have appointed Oholiab son of

Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, to help him. Also

I have given skill to all the craftsmen to make

everything I have commanded you:

Exodus 35:30-31, 34-35

Then Moses said to the Israelites, ―See, the LORD

has chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the

tribe of Judah, and he has filled him with the Spirit

of God, with skill, ability and knowledge in all

kinds of crafts—And he has given both him and

Oholiab son of Ahisamach, of the tribe of Dan, the

ability to teach others…He has filled them with skill

to do all kinds of work as craftsmen, designers,

embroiderers in blue, purple and scarlet yarn and

fine linen, and weavers—all of them master

craftsmen and designers.‖

The work of the Holy Spirit is not confined to the elect, and does not begin with their regeneration; but it touches every creature, animate and inanimate and begins its operations in the elect at the very moment of their origin. Abraham Kuyper, The Work of the Holy Spirit, (New York: Funk & Wagnalls, 1900), 38.

Culture as a Reflection of

God’s Image

God &

Culture

God is a creator

of culture but

not a learner of

culture.

Culture is, first of all, the name for our relentless human effort to take the world as it’s given to us and make something else. This is the original insight of the writer of Genesis when he says that human beings were made in God’s image: just like the original Creator, we are creators. Andy Crouch, Culture Making: Recovering

Our Creative Calling, (Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 2008), 23.

Culture as a Reflection of

God’s Image

How does

our

creative

activity

differ from

God’s?

God &

Culture

We live within a

context of

already existing

culture.

God began with nothing.

We work with materials

that have been provided

as a result of God’s

creative activity.

Because culture is cumulative-because every cultural good builds on and incorporates elements of culture that have come before-cultural creativity never starts from scratch. Culture is what we make of the world-we start not with a blank slate but with all the richly encultured world that previous generations handed to us . Andy Crouch, Culture Making:

Recovering Our Creative Calling, (Downers Grove: InterVarsity, 2008), 73.

Culture From Culture

We work within pre-existing cultural structures as those who have already been shaped by culture.

How does

sin affect

culture?

The first cultural

artifacts

mentioned in the

Bible were

designed to deal

with the

consequences of

sin.

Genesis 3:7

Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and

they realized they were naked; so they sewed fig

leaves together and made coverings for

themselves.

Genesis 3:21

The LORD God made garments of skin for

Adam and his wife and clothed them.

Some structures of cultures are meant to address the consequences of sin.

Romans 13:1, 4

Everyone must submit himself to the governing

authorities, for there is no authority except that

which God has established. The authorities that

exist have been established by God. For he is

God’s servant to do you good. But if you do

wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword

for nothing. He is God’s servant, an agent of

wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer.

Some cultural structures were modified

as a result of sin.

Matthew 19:8

Jesus replied, ―Moses permitted you to divorce

your wives because your hearts were hard. But it

was not this way from the beginning.

Culture developed within the context of a fallen society.

Genesis 4:19-22

Lamech married two women, one named Adah and the other Zillah. Adah gave birth to Jabal; he was the father of those who live in tents and raise livestock. His brother’s name was Jubal; he was the father of all who play the harp and flute. Zillah also had a son, Tubal-Cain, who forged all kinds of tools out of bronze and iron. Tubal-Cain’s sister was Naamah.

Satan has a cultural agenda.

Luke 4:5-7

The devil led him up to a high place and showed him in an instant all the kingdoms of the world. And he said to him, “I will give you all their authority and splendor, for it has been given to me, and I can give it to anyone I want to. So if you worship me, it will all be yours.”

Jesus had a profoundly cultural phrase for his mission: the kingdom of God…His good news foretold a comprehensive restructuring of social life comparable to that experienced by a people when one monarch was succeeded by another. The Kingdom of God would touch every sphere of culture. Andy Crouch, Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling, (Downers Grove:

InterVarsity, 2008), 138.

Kingdom Culture

God &

CultureGod is working

within culture as

well as working

―against‖ it.