Christ and Culture, Essay Example

Introduction

Niebuhr tries to relate what culture and Christianity is. He puts his ideas on a clean table on how this so called Christianity relates to each other and how it influences each other bearing in mind that Christ is a person who is clean and sinless. Human being carries their problems in the attempt to balance Christianity and culture which results to civilization.

There are five views on how the Christians tend to deal with the issue of Christ and culture. These views include:

• The Christ of Culture
• The Christ against Culture
• The Christ and Cultural paradox
• The Christ above Culture
• The Transformation of Culture

The views that that recognizes the independent validity of each, and tries to answer the question from the point of view

In Christ against culture, he elaborates on the counterpart of being loyal to Christ and those whom he referred mot to be in agreement with the teaching of the Christ hence called the children of the world. But those who have opted to reject the world it has not been easy for them as they had to endure mental and physical suffering and be willing to abandon properties such as homes and did not have government protection on their safety. However the separation of Christianity and the world has never been achieved at any given time neither does it seem to be supportable. He further stressed that there have been false notion that sin actually lies in culture hence those Christian who keeps off culture deceives themselves that they have escaped sin. Niebuhr stated that this not the case and people have been mislead as such separation makes them not recognize the spirit role of creation. Therefore, they have divided the world into material realm which is being governed by principles which oppose spiritual realm which is governed by Christ.

In his elaboration on Christ being above culture he said that when one sins against the will of Christ by rebelling against God is mainly expressed in cultural terms¹. Therefore it is not possible to separate grace of God and the work of human culture. Use of this argument that Christ is above culture attempts to balance culture and seeing Christ. By use of this argument it is essential in development of moral law which the society should follow and the involvement of the society. He stated that when God has created man being a social being therefore it is quite impossible for the society to be able to function well without the directions from God.

The Reasons Why Christ and Cultural Paradox Is a More Effective Answer

This view has also been reflected in the biblical tension which shows Christians in this world. The author states that man is under law of stipulated by culture and not under law but grace. He further specify that the paradox arise when one is viewed as being a sinner because of following cultural teachings and at the same time being righteous because of following the teachings of Christ.

Christians are not able to say anything which is regarded as being meaningful concerning their culture. This has mainly brought in confusion as neither do such people act in favor of Christ or Culture fully hence being in a state which he specified as being compromising Christianity.

As Christ the Culture in Paradox view it is much similar as Christ and culture, he stated that people in this group want to hold together responsibility for culture and loyalty which they have on Christ. Such people reflect that the relation of Christ and culture there is a conflict which arises due to sin which is evident in culture. ²Therefore, when one is dealing with God and culture there is the tendency of seeing both the grace of Christ and sin of the culture hence the conflict between the two.

References

Niebuhr, R. (1956). Christ and Culture. New York: Harper & Row.

In his elaboration on Christ being above culture he said that when one sins against the will of Christ by rebelling against God is mainly expressed in cultural terms¹

²Therefore, when one is dealing with God and culture there is the tendency of seeing both…………