288. Did Christians Expect Cultural Engagement to Be Easy?

We still believe in cultural engagement. That’s the Christian mission to share our faith in the real world, seeking to win souls to Jesus. These souls naturally seek biblical influences in stories, songs, and beyond. So why do some believers claim that they want “cultural engagement” but then, when angry or manipulative anti-Christian critics engage us right back, throw up their hands and call for pietistic separation?

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1. How ‘cultural engagement’ started

• Christians inherited a legacy of sheltering, e.g. “fundamentalism.”
• That term also gets associated with “separation from the world.”
• From there other Christians moved to broader “evangelicalism.”
• That newer term is more about living in (but not of) the world.
• Yet this “evangelicalism” had a particular missionary emphasis.
• We wanted to adapt what’s good about the world for ourselves.
• And we sought to make comfortable places for unbelievers.
• This also get associated with “Christian versions” of stories/songs.
• Now new generations want to reject the first, modify the second.
• First, they rightly see sin and harm in cultural fundamentalism.
• Second, they see greatness in many secular stories and songs.
• Third, they want to make great stories/songs that aren’t terrible.
• Results? Much content about genuinely bad church dysfunctions.
• Many reviews and articles praising secular stories and songs.
• And now, finally, Christian-made stories/songs that are great!

2. How ‘cultural engagement’ is going

• Now that we’ve identified the graces, let’s talk about the idols.
• (In this we follow two of the five engagement steps in TPCP.)
• You see, some “engagement” folks forget that third creative stage.
• Many got stuck in ranting (supposed) cultural fundamentalism.
• Yes, our old pal Church Back Home Syndrome reappears here.
• Others got stuck finding greatness in secular stories/songs.
• They forgot the part about finding idols in those “cultural artifacts.”
• They grew so positive that they failed to perceive the real world.
• For instance, some ignore real hatreds of Christians in the world.
• We’ve heard from big-name creators who encountered this.
• They were as “winsome” as could be, but got soft-persecuted.
• “Engagers” especially neglect finding ways to create new stuff.
• Perhaps they miss the purpose of “glorifying/enjoying God.”
• Without spilling tea, Stephen has seen this among some writers.
• They wanted to “engage” “for nonbelievers” their favorite stuff.
• So you got articles about Scorsese movies and art-house films.
• English majors had a particular like for engaging non-pop culture.
• But regarding actual pop culture, memes, politics, etc.? Ugh, no.
• A few “engagers” ended up bitter, confused, even deconstructed.
• Their view of culture is bad; their view of social issues is worse.