Tough Questions: Is Christianity always counter cultural?
Reflections
“In the face of racialised Nazi ideology, particularly anti-semitism, Church leadership remained conspicuously silent. Not to mention the widespread complicity of many ‘ordinary’ Christians,” says The Rev’d Charlie Lacey from St Andrew’s, Springfield
The Church has been persecuted since its conception. In the book of Acts, following the stoning of the first Christian martyr, Stephen, we read how “a great persecution broke out against the church in Jerusalem” (Acts 8. 1-2). Today, Christians remain the world’s most persecuted group. According to a 2019 report ordered by former British Foreign Secretary, Jeremy Hunt, the persecution of Christians has reached near genocidal levels in some parts of the world.
Jesus warned his disciples that they would face persecution:
“If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also.” (John 15. 18-20)
So, what has persecution got to do with the question at hand? Quite simply, Christians have always been persecuted precisely because Christianity is countercultural. The Gospel has been proclaimed in every cultural context imaginable, and it would take volumes to catalogue the various ways that Christianity has collided with such a vast array of cultures. However, from Jesus’ perspective, there are, broadly speaking, only two cultures: the worldly culture that hates God, and the culture of God’s kingdom. Either we belong to the world, or we belong to Jesus. For those who belong to the world, the Gospel will be confronting.
Indeed, the Gospel is an offence because following Jesus necessitates change and transformation at the deepest level. From the haughty Pharisees of Jesus’ day to the 20th century communist ideologs who attempted to eradicate the very concept of God, the world has always resisted the Gospel.
In a world that is in rebellion against God, Christianity properly understood is always countercultural; however, the Church has sometimes failed to be. One of the most notable examples is that of the German Church in the 1940s. In the face of racialised Nazi ideology, particularly anti-semitism, church leadership remained conspicuously silent. Not to mention the widespread complicity of many “ordinary” Christians. Of course there were many exceptions, but overall, the German church capitulated to a wholly evil cultural innovation.
Christians must remember that the world hates God, and any society bereft of Christian influence will tend to move further away from the values of God’s kingdom. Therefore, our point of reference for moral discernment ought not be the mores of the prevailing culture, but rather God’s word.
The moral zeitgeist of Western civilisation is now changing so rapidly that to align ourselves with it would mean adjusting our perspective every five years or so. In an increasingly polarised world, Christians should not be swayed by loud voices from either side of the political divide, as they never seem to reflect a truly Christian perspective.
As Christians we are called to be “salt and light”, which invariably means being countercultural. We must reject ungodly cultural trends, ideologies and policies, no matter what their origin. Our loyalty is to Jesus and his kingdom. However, we must understand that our allegiance comes at a cost. Adopting a countercultural stance can, depending on the context, lead to Christians being derided, ostracised, “cancelled”, victimised, imprisoned, tortured or killed. We are fortunate to live in a country where the cost of following Jesus is relatively low.
Christianity is always countercultural. If we find ourselves getting comfortable with the surrounding culture, then we have probably compromised with the world that hates God. We are the Church. Let us aim to be as radically countercultural as Jesus and the faith he taught us.
First published on the St Andrew’s, Springfield website in September 2024.
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