October 16, 2008
Out of Context: Andy Crouch
Reflections on Culture Making.
The Fall 2008 issue of Leadership contains a new feature: The Golden Canon book award. One of our finalists was Andy Crouch's Culture Making: Recovering our creative calling (IVP), the much-praised contribution to the ongoing conversation about the relationship between Christianity and culture. Here's a taste of Andy's prose, a tidbit to spark conversation.
The postures of the artist and the gardener have a lot in common. Both begin with contemplation, paying close attention to what is already there. The gardener looks carefully at the landscape; the existing plants, both flowers and weeds; the way the sun fall on the land. The artist regards her subject, her canvas, her paints with care to discern what she can make with them.And then, after contemplation, the artist and the gardener both adopt a posture of purposeful work. They bring creativity and effort to their calling...They are creaturely creators, tending and shaping the world that original Creator made.
I wonder what we Christians are known for in the world outside our churches. Are we known as critics, consumers, copiers, condemners of culture? I'm afraid so. Why aren't we known as cultivators--people who tend and nourish what is best in human culture, who do the harsh and painstaking work to preserve the best of what people before us have done? Why aren't we known as creators--people who dare to think and do something that has never been thought or done before, something that makes the world more welcoming and thrilling and beautiful?
Posted by UrL Scaramanga on October 16, 2008
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Comments
Because it's easier to nitpick; and because as soon as we create something, the other Christians rip it apart.
Posted by: K.W. Leslie at October 16, 2008
The Bible is full of images that demonstrate how gardens/plants are transformed from weedy and thorny to a masterpiece. For instance: Ps. 92:10-15 describes a palm flourishing in the courts of our God.
As the cultivator examines the garden will he consider Who originally designed my garden? Will the re-design appeal to the culture? Or to glorify its Maker? It seems that there are many practical ideas of how to improve the image of a Christian. Say a Christian leader "sees" my garden as unkempt, Who is invited to the "reveal"? Before they start cultivating and weeding to restore my beauty, who do they want to impress? Will my garden be described as classic or trendy? Lasting beauty or will the beauty quickly fade?
The palm (in Ps 92) is an image that describes the anointed saint who listens, sees, and flourishes because he is righteous before God. Then the years pass. The saint is still full of sap and very green; still yielding fruit. This is the work of the Lord. The unkempt garden grew up into a masterpiece that never faded. Who is the cultivator? It is our Lord Jesus Christ who cleaned us up and never stopped tending our garden.
The culture then sees the garden as it was originally designed. Truly beautiful. It didn't just attract for a moment but a lifetime, this can only be attributed to God.
Posted by: E at October 17, 2008
It is unfortunate that Andy seems to believe that since he doesn't happen to know any Christian artist/gardeners, or whatever, that none exist. We are called to be a 'peculiar people'. I will admit that few Christians are. It is very difficult to "...come out from among them and be ye seperate and touch not the unclean thing..."
Posted by: Melody at October 19, 2008
Melody,
Just to clarify, outside this quotation from Culture Making, Andy doesn't suggest that there are no Christian artists or cultivators (in fact, a recent issue of Christianity Today highlights several). He is speaking more broadly in this excerpt about people's perceptions of Christians and about mainstream Christianity in general (which you acknowledge yourself has few cultural innovators).
Posted by: Brandon at October 20, 2008
Brandon,
After re-reading my comment followed by yours, I can see that I failed to make my point - which is this: We are not called to make a good impression on the world except through our love for each other. We are called to be seperate from the world and are told that the world will hate us - if we are being obedient to Christ's commands. Sometimes it's hard to square our desire to make a good impression on non-christians while still doing those things. The reality is that people in churches tend to reflect in their daily lives the kind of preaching and teaching that takes place at church on Sunday. The Bible tells us we are not to give an offence in anything, but we are also told not to compromise on truth. Quite frankly, I suspect that our reputation has less to do with lack of Christians doing innovative and culturally lovely things than the hypocrisy of so many Christians who claim one set of beliefs while practicing another. I include myself here and I'm keeping pretty heady company as I say with the apostle Paul, "... that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am chief."
Posted by: Melody at October 20, 2008
Thanks for clarifying, Melody. I see what you mean now, and I think you're on to something.
Posted by: Brandon at October 21, 2008
I have always enjoyed Andy's thoughts and his desire to engage the culture. Historically, Christians have shaped the West, and unfortunately, we are all now being shaped by the unstoppable forces of individualism, liberalism, and capitalism combined with an unhealthy libertarian ethic.
In this cultural context, how can you even cultivate culture? Having cultural influence assumes that people hold similar assumptions.
I would think the best way is through radical community of influencers... communities who first and foremost "practice what they preach". We as a church do not practice what we preach and we first have to get our house in order.
Our NA landscape is littered with big churches where no one really takes sacrifice and community very seriously. But ultimately, radical sacrifice and a committed community will be the 'delivery system' of cultivating culture.
Until we get our community straight(e.g. our love)... we will continue to be only 'glanging cymbals' to a culture that's heard it all and saw no results.
Posted by: Nate at October 26, 2008