Culture Wars

For decades we have heard about the culture wars. This speaks of a contest to define which values will dominate the American culture. It describes competing worldviews that influence the political agenda of our nation, usually aligning in 2 major camps: traditionalists and conservatives versus those of a more liberal and progressive viewpoint. There are many issues that are flashpoints in this conflict: gender identity, abortion, marriage and sexuality, and women’s rights to name but a few.

Certainly these are important issues. There seems to be, in my opinion, an unfortunate consequence in this struggle, particularly where Christians and the gospel are concerned. Regardless of one’s position, it appears to have developed to the point that those who hold opposing views see their counterparts as enemy combatants. After all, it is a war. The enemy must be destroyed at all costs. For the conservative, the voices of the “secular humanist,” left-wing, gay-rights affirming, abortion loving proponents must be silenced. If that means destroying their mouthpiece, the “liberal media,” then so be it. Send those godless commies back to Russia where they belong. For the liberal or progressive,  those Bible thumping fundamentalist, chocolate chip cookie baking “stand by your man,” homeschooling  women, gun owning and loving conservatives, and “fill-in-the-blank phobic” people must be eliminated from modern society – or lobotomized, if that is easier.

We are way beyond the place for intelligent dialogue. There is very little discussion and a whole lot of rhetoric, verbal abuse, and propaganda from all sides. For those who profess allegiance to Christ, our attitude must be different. Certainly, we desire to stand for truth and the propositional statements of Scripture. But we often forget the one whom we claim to represent.  Richard Phillips posted these words on the blog for the Alliance of Confessing Evangelicals. Though he was commenting in a slightly different context, his words started me thinking about the culture wars and the Christian’s place in it.

Far too many evangelical Christians look upon their political opposites as culture war "enemies" rather than as neighbors to be loved, served, and evangelized. If, for instance, proponents of sexual perversity and gender confusion are perceived as our enemies, then Jesus has told us what to do: "Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven" (Matt. 5:44-45). Unlike tax collectors and Gentiles, who love only their own, let us heartily welcome perceived enemies as neighbors who need to hear about our gracious God and his gospel.

The words of Jesus are difficult to read. Are we to love those who denigrate the biblical values and truths we treasure? Are we to love those who may wish us ill or worse? The cultural context of the New Testament was one of totalitarian rule, religious idolatry, moral perversity on a scale that would make the Motion Picture Rating Committee members blush, and institutional hostility toward Christianity. Yet, they influenced their culture by speaking truth to power (see Paul’s testimony before King Agrippa in Acts 25:24), loving “not their lives, even to death” (Rev. 12:11 ), and by diligently living out Jesus’ teaching from the Sermon on the Mount. Apparently, we have discovered a better way to influence culture.