The Normality of Culture

I like the definition of culture in this picture. It says, "Culture is the sum of all forms of art." Culture can be a beautiful thing, a part of who we are, a way to express ourselves. Culture can also confuse things for us.


How often do you think about culture? How about trends as they relate to culture? How often do you think about our culture's affect on Christianity? Does culture affect our mind set?

In Romans 12: 1-2 we are urged to not conform to the pattern of this world. "Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God—this is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."

How would you define culture? In part we probably aren't even aware of culture half the time, unless it's a hot topic or trend. I think culture in its simplest form is the societal norm. 

Culture is what is normal. 

Right now, today, in our culture it's normal to work 40 hours a week, listen to the radio on your drive to work, have a drink at happy hour, update your status on facebook, have premarital sex, watch a movie in the theater, go out dancing, drive through McDonalds for dinner, get a divorce, get remarried, go to college, get an abortion, pay your bills online...

Some of the items on the list above might not even strike you as cultural and some may cause you dismay. 

When I started writing this blog my thoughts were first sparked by the end of Acts 2, entitled The Fellowship of the Believers, verses 42-47, say "They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer. Everyone was filled with awe at the many wonders and signs performed by the apostles. All the believers were together and had everything in common. They sold property and possessions to give to anyone who had need. Every day they continued to meet together in the temple courts. They broke bread in their homes and ate together with glad and sincere hearts, praising God and enjoying the favor of all the people. And the Lord added to their number daily those who were being saved."

These veres sparked the thought of the difference in community in the early church and community in today's church. Do you think that the culture of Jesus time affected the early church? Do you sometimes find yourself thinking they got it right, why can't we be like the early church? Probably a large part of the way the early church interacted was due to the culture of the day, but do you think we have lost a certain sense of Christian community in not adopting a like wise culture now?


Do you ever question if your convictions are grounded in Biblical truth or swayed by current cultural opinion?


Biblical truth remains the same. Culture fluctuates, shifts and changes through out time.


Think how often a parable takes on deeper meaning when we understand the culture of the time. Jesus told well known stories (normal stories of the day) with a twist. He pulled from current cultural understanding to get his point across.


I'm curious where our Christianity fits in our current culture. It's so easy to be caught up in the cultural tide. Do we start to confuse normal with right? 

Pause: Slight disclaimer, I am not saying that because it is normal it is wrong. I'm not saying that because it is part of culture it is wrong. I'm asking if we mix wrong in with right because certain things become a normal part of society.


Do we let certain cultural beliefs sway our Biblical opinions? I think we do. Again Romans 12:2, says "Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will."


Perhaps Christ knows how easy it is for us to jumble certain accepted societal norms with Biblical truth?


What do you think?