Over the past century, I don't think anyone can deny that the world seems to have become a smaller place. Not only have we had the creation of air travel, which makes it possible to get to practically any place on the globe in a day or so, but with the recent advent of the internet, now you can find out about people and how they live simply by typing them into your preferred search engine.
As Christians encounter different cultures, they also come across a strange tension. We carry a message that truly is not bound by any particular culture. All people of the world stand in need of God's love, but also the forgiveness Jesus offers through the cross. This message isn't dependent upon the people group one belongs to, but truly is for all people, just as Jesus sent His disciples to all nations.
Yet, as that Christian faith comes into particular cultures, it quite often takes on the appearance of the culture. The songs of praise and worship take on the flavor of the culture. The expressions used to describe God's work are described in ways that are familiar to the local people. The expressions of love and care "look" different from place to place, even though the attitude and reason behind them may be the same.
As Christians, we also realize that culture is in a constant state of change. This presents an interesting tension for us. How much do the expressions of faith change as the culture changes, and how much do we retain the roots of what we have known and loved, expressions which were appropriate for that time and place, but perhaps not so much for a different time and place? And then, how do we ensure that the message doesn't change, even if the appearances and expressions change?
As I've pointed out in earlier posts, we tend to gravitate toward one end of the spectrum or the other. Some advocate changing the expressions and tossing aside the old as the culture changes without reservation, though not without danger. Others advocate maintaining the distinctiveness of the faith by holding on the expressions that have been "successful" before, again, not without danger. One may fall too far into the cultural expression and lose the distinctiveness of the message, and the other may become disconnected from the culture and thus lose its desired hearers.
Where do you tend to fall on the spectrum? How can understanding this necessary tension help you to seek out what may be the appropriate balance in a given time and place?
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