The culture war will go to hell.
Here’s why:
1. Its expectation is foolish.
Whether you believe America was ever a Christian nation or not, it is theologically naive and demonstrably false to think laws or policies make anyone a Christian. You cannot create or recapture a people for Christ by illegalizing sin. (Which, by the way, is not to say that certain sins shouldn’t be illegal. It is only to say that, for instance, outlawing gay marriage or repealing Roe v. Wade won’t make anybody a Christian, much less make America “a Christian nation.”)
2. Its medium is moralism, not gospel.
It makes kingdom militancy about religion, not gospel. It seeks a Christian coercion of others toward better behavior, not an incarnational sharing with others of the better Way.
3. It is theologically naive.
It is the height of weirdness to expect people who don’t know Jesus to act like they do.
4. It is often hypocritical.
It is the height of weirdness to expect people who don’t know Jesus to act like they do especially when we can’t get our own house in order. So long as large numbers of Christians continue contributing to the divorce statistics, the porn industry, and more acceptable sins like gluttony and gossip and greed, we have zero business telling the world how to act. Judgment begins at the house of God (1 Peter 4:17).
5. It battles against flesh and blood.
We’re not supposed to do that. (Eph. 6:12)
6. Its treasure is temporary.
I am not overly concerned with the culture war because it is a battle for something that doesn’t last. Culture is temporary. I am far more interested in the transformation of peoples through the transformation of people than I am in the subduing of culture through the modification of behavior. Nobody ever got into heaven by acting better.
7. It makes idols of comfort and safety and propriety and power.
The culture war is largely driven by fear. We’re afraid our public schools will ruin our children, we’re afraid gay people will ruin our families. We’re afraid a Democrat will ruin our country, we’re afraid liberals will ruin our neighborhoods. Now, there is nothing wrong with wanting to protect our family, and safety of course is not a bad thing. But neither is it a biblical virtue. Ditto comfort.
8. It has no root in Jesus’ ministry.
Jesus knew heart change didn’t come through political power, cultural pressure, or zealotry, so he was keenly disinterested in those things.
9. It mangles mission.
The culture war sets the Church above and against the world, rather than in but not of the world. It turns us into picketers and politicos. It makes us suspicious and speculative and sensationalist. It takes relationship completely out of the missional equation. It turns us from peaceful ambassadors for Christ into pontificating warriors for Christianity. It does not ask us to serve and sacrifice, which are non-negotiables for Christian mission, but to maneuver and argue.
10. The culture war is carried out for our name’s sake, not Jesus’.
I am not a fan of gay marriage or Roe v. Wade, and even though I would vote to outlaw the former and repeal the latter, neither of those actions in themselves will make a single unbeliever say “How wonderful Christ is!”
The bitter truth is that the Christian culture war is not carried out for Jesus’ glory and renown, but for ours. It makes “Judeo-Christian values” the end-game, the treasure of our mission. And that is idolatry. Nobody was ever legally or argumentatively or even culturally convinced to believe in Jesus. But millions have been loved and served and submitted to into believing.
Dying for somebody says a whole lot more than debating them.
I choose the gospel. Come hell or highwater, come a liberal administration in Washington for the rest of my life or actual suffering. My treasure is not Christianity, but Christ. My hope is not a Christian nation but a Christ-saturated universe. I trust not in princes but in the King of Kings. I choose war on hell and death through the liberating power of Jesus in the glorious gospel of the grace of God.
For the glory of God.
Related posts:
October 20th, 2009 | 7:41 pm | #1
[...] C. Wilson on Funny, I Don’t Feel Neoconnish at the new First Things blog Evangel. Posted in Miscellaneous | No Comments » Leave a [...]
October 20th, 2009 | 7:41 pm | #2
Brilliant
October 20th, 2009 | 7:44 pm | #3
Are you really a pacifist?
October 20th, 2009 | 7:44 pm | #4
[...] The culture war will go to hell. (from Jared Wilson at Evangel) [...]
October 20th, 2009 | 7:46 pm | #5
Wilberforce, are you asking me?
If so, the answer is no, I am not a pacifist.
October 20th, 2009 | 8:19 pm | #6
Wow …
… sers …
That was … wow. Excellent post in the thought provoking department. I just added this rss feed to my reader because of it.
October 20th, 2009 | 8:20 pm | #7
Huh. Ok.
I agree about 97%, and that last 3% is killing me.
Here’s my gripe: whatever it is that Paul was doing, it was turning the whole world upside down. It was costing the idolaters real money.
Whatever his Gospel was, I want to go to there.
October 20th, 2009 | 8:24 pm | #8
Yes, I was asking you. I have never understood how peaceful ambassadors for Christ in one country can kill peaceful ambassadors for Christ in another country to preserve a culture, especially when we know that Christians have no reason to fear death since Christ is risen. In this country, we seem to fear death much more than we fear God. A little off topic I suppose but your “peaceful ambassadors” and “christ-saturated universe” suggested that you thought church trumped state so that you would not kill for the state. Thanks for the response and good luck with the blog.
October 20th, 2009 | 8:27 pm | #9
[...] culture wars aren’t new. Via the magic of RSS and Google Reader … a reply to Jared comes apropos post from the Desert (and I quote in full, because that’s sort of the point): [...]
October 20th, 2009 | 8:29 pm | #10
[...] By Mark O. These culture wars aren’t new. Via the magic of RSS and Google Reader … a reply to Jared comes apropos post from the Desert (and I quote in full, because that’s sort of the point): [...]
October 20th, 2009 | 8:29 pm | #11
[...] culture wars aren’t new. Via the magic of RSS and Google Reader … a reply to Jared comes apropos post from the Desert (and I quote in full, because that’s sort of the point): [...]
October 20th, 2009 | 8:31 pm | #12
Frank, I believe the Ephesian silversmith riot was a result of the gospel transforming lives, which was affecting the culture, which means the appetite for idols had waned. Drastically.
I think we probably agree on what happened there.
I just don’t think a culture war like evangelicalism is fighting today is how it happened (or happens).
Keller had some great stuff on this specific subject (the gospel and the church in relation to the riot at Ephesus) in his address at the last Gospel Coalition conference.
October 20th, 2009 | 8:32 pm | #13
Wilberforce, thanks for the clarification and the kind words.
October 20th, 2009 | 8:36 pm | #14
You need to better define “culture war”. You appear to have a particular persona in mind, but the motivations, and behaviors, of “culture warriors” vary considerably. For example, I favor repeal of Roe vs. Wade because it is unjust, not because I think anyone will come to Christ because it is repealed. I also think that it is important to support pregnancy centers, and post-abortion counseling, in addition to seeking repeal of an unjust legal ruling.
“2. Its medium is moralism, not gospel.”
That’s a pretty broad statement, and built on a fallacy. “It’s” medium may contain significant strains of moralism, but that is not the sum total of the medium. For example, there are substantive philosophical and legal arguments at play where judicial rulings are concerned. The fallacy is that the only way that Christians can engage the world is via the gospel. That is not to say that the gospel should not infuse everything Christians do, but that oftentimes this will be implicit, rather than explicit. One can write op-eds supporting traditional marriage, and opposing same-sex marriage, without appealing directly to the Bible.
“1. Its expectation is foolish.
Whether you believe America was ever a Christian nation or not, it is theologically naive and demonstrably false to think laws or policies make anyone a Christian.”
What if this is not the primary goal? What about the goals of having fewer marriages to fail, fewer unjust abortions be performed, and fewer people suffer the pain and regret of having an abortion? Are those goals worthy of fighting for, or not?
October 20th, 2009 | 8:40 pm | #15
[...] post on the culture war is confused, I [...]
October 20th, 2009 | 8:45 pm | #16
I’ll clarify and let Jared clean up the pieces.
If the culture war is what Bill O’Reilly is doing, then may someone lose it quickly and violently that it may be over.
October 20th, 2009 | 8:46 pm | #17
BTW, Jared, it’s no fun to read if we just High-5 each other. That’s boring.
October 20th, 2009 | 8:58 pm | #18
Frank, ok. Then if we don’t disagree, let’s agree to pretend we do. :-)
October 20th, 2009 | 9:04 pm | #19
Mike S:
I favor repeal of Roe vs. Wade because it is unjust, not because I think anyone will come to Christ because it is repealed.
Me too.
I also think that it is important to support pregnancy centers, and post-abortion counseling, in addition to seeking repeal of an unjust legal ruling.
Me too.
I was at a CareNet benefit banquet last week. The church I pastor is the largest contributor to our local center of all the churches in our state.
The fallacy is that the only way that Christians can engage the world is via the gospel.
This is not what I said or meant.
That is not to say that the gospel should not infuse everything Christians do, but that oftentimes this will be implicit, rather than explicit. One can write op-eds supporting traditional marriage, and opposing same-sex marriage, without appealing directly to the Bible.
Agreed.
“… it is theologically naive and demonstrably false to think laws or policies make anyone a Christian.”
What if this is not the primary goal?
Oh my. Well, there we disagree. I think worship of Jesus should be the primary goal of the Christian’s engagement with the world, to do it and to do it compellingly in word and deed so that others may wake to want to, as well. Worship of Jesus trumps everything, including strong marriages, etc.
In fact, what I’m saying is that it is the gospel that produces the fruit of strong marriages, etc.
If we’re defining “strong marriage” in the same way . . .
What about the goals of having fewer marriages to fail, fewer unjust abortions be performed, and fewer people suffer the pain and regret of having an abortion? Are those goals worthy of fighting for, or not?
Yes. I refer to those things in my post, actually.
I fight for those things almost daily, although almost none of that fighting is done in the political realm.
October 20th, 2009 | 9:11 pm | #20
[...] And all God’s people said, “Daannnngggg!” [...]
October 20th, 2009 | 9:42 pm | #21
Terrific post. The Culture War will never make anyone say, “How wonderful Christ is!”….
Sobering words for evangelicals who have sunk so much of their resources into this….
October 20th, 2009 | 10:50 pm | #22
This post seems antithetical to the existence and mission of First Things, not to mention the political thought of Neuhaus.
My reaction, which is a concise rebuttal to the accusations of moral crusading: You are much to either/or, refusing to acknowledge the need for public virtue. Culture Warriors never claim to be savings souls, but the preservation of prudence & a just society. Secondly, your stance is completely against the grain of eschatological hope.
Do not throw the the baby out with the bathwater.
You sound much too anabaptistic and against the grain of the cultural mandate.
October 20th, 2009 | 11:04 pm | #23
refusing to acknowledge the need for public virtue
This is patently false, as even a cursory reading of my post indicates.
I am only advocating a different — and more Jesusy — route to public virtue.
On culture warriors not aiming for saving souls, two things:
a) Why not? Isn’t that better than just well behaved pagans?
b) I don’t know what area of the nation you live in, but in both the Bible Belt I’m from and the Northeast I’m currently in, the conflation of legislated morality and soul salvation is alive and well.
your stance is completely against the grain of eschatological hope.
I have no idea how this can be true.
It would be true if I did not believe in the kingdom inaugurated and yet to be consummated, if I distrusted Jesus’ promise to return, or if I believed Christians have no obligation to share the gospel in word and deed. But none of those things are true, so your accusation is untrue.
It’s only true if you equate culture warfare with eschatological hopefulness.
I am sorry for how I sound. I’ve already said I wasn’t a pacifist, and in other threads confirmed my affirmation of political and cultural engagement.
I don’t know what “cultural mandate” you refer to. Was there an official memo I missed?
Or do you mean something like the Great Commission, Great Commandment, Sermon on the Mount, or related?
October 20th, 2009 | 11:07 pm | #24
This post seems antithetical to the existence and mission of First Things, not to mention the political thought of Neuhaus.
I can’t speak to the former; I assume my invitation to participate here signaled my inclusion in its mission.
If I am an antithetical presence, I’ll keep an eye out for my pink slip. :-)
Some follow Cephas, some Apollos, some Neuhaus . . . :-)
October 21st, 2009 | 1:19 am | #25
It is the height of weirdness to expect people who don’t know Jesus to act like they do…
I’ll never forget the day a pastor ask me, “Why do you get upset when people who aren’t Christians don’t act like Christians.” It gave me an entirely new way to look at the world.
October 21st, 2009 | 1:29 am | #26
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Phil Johnson and Richard Barcellos, MCTS. MCTS said: Christianity and culture wars – http://bit.ly/1VQTGo [...]
October 21st, 2009 | 1:38 am | #27
Thanks for a great read. I’ve been persuaded this way for a long time. I get opposition for it but so be it.
This world is passing away. Let’s let it. But share the Gospel on the way out. It’s the only hope for the lost.
October 21st, 2009 | 2:43 am | #28
Good thoughts. This post brings to mind a sermon that John MacArthur preached several years ago entitled “The Deadly Dangers of Moralism.”
October 21st, 2009 | 3:53 am | #29
Interesting post. As someone else has said, however, it seems as though the author has a particular understanding and view of “culture war” as well as what constitutes Christians today is running with it. To each their own, but personally the starting points here seem debatable at times. I personally run with very few Christians who are trying to illegalize sin, coerce to Christ, battle flesh and blood for earthly treasures or most of these other things.
Additionally, in a few places here there seems to be a false dichotomy or dualist notion that the spiritual and temporal never overlap – that the Christian life lived on earth is not somehow related to eternity.
I’m not sure I understand the bit on fear and so forth. Setting oneself against the world, in the world, is not the same thing as reacting fearfully to public schools, gays, liberals or whoever. And by not mentioning the right- wing and their ilk and endeavors in this description, I am left wondering if you are not projecting your valid concerns regarding a certain type of Christian on to Christians as a whole.
Not that I don’t agree with some of your points, though perhaps with qualifications in places. It’s more that such bold and important claims should perhaps, at least in my opinion, receive a slightly more thoughtful and careful treatment. Of course, this is a blog post and we all know how tough it is to be as precise and thorough as we would like to be. I anticipate that some of my observations here will end up not being what you said or meant. Oh well.
October 21st, 2009 | 8:03 am | #30
If you’re talking about where our focus is supposed to be, I believe our focus should be primarily on seeing lives transformed through the gospel of Jesus Christ, but that necessarily changes culture. So I have a few questions:
What if a country is primarily Christian (i.e. We are actually successful in fulfilling the Great Commission)?
What about people called to the political arena? What laws are they supposed to strive for? Where is the line they are not supposed to cross?
Here is the big one…Why do you care about Roe vs. Wade or Gay Marriage? You shouldn’t. You should simply worry about getting abortionists and homosexuals saved. Why put money in any institution other than missions agencies?
As you (rightly) support these causes with some time and money (though they aren’t primary) I ask, why draw the line there? Because they are the most recent and visible blatant cultural attacks on biblical truth? Who decides where to draw the line? What standard are you using?
October 21st, 2009 | 9:31 am | #31
Great post.
“Why do you get upset when people who aren’t Christians don’t act like Christians.” This seems to be the focus of the whole thing.
Which leads to this question how do we get people to act like Christians? Biblical Answer: “Make Disciples”.
The bible also says unbelievers DO NOT understand the things of God, so why do we expect them to.
Stopping a Gay couple from getting married solves what problem?? They will still be homosexual and still not know Christ. This is just one example and the same thought can be applied to any other sin that we evangelicals want the world to stop doing.
The answer to the world’s problems is “Preach the Gospel”.
October 21st, 2009 | 9:42 am | #32
I see Pope Benedict’s book being advertised at the top of your masthead. Should I infer that you are all Catholic?
October 21st, 2009 | 9:46 am | #33
Okay, so with at tiny bit of further research on the site, I can definitely say, “yes”. Sorry for speaking too soon.
October 21st, 2009 | 10:21 am | #34
>>it’s no fun to read if we just High-5 each other. That’s boring.<<
Good grief. The neighborhhod just went to pot; the bullies are here.
October 21st, 2009 | 10:21 am | #35
Elaine Should I infer that you are all Catholic?
While many of the contributors on the rest of the site are Catholic (as well as many of our advertisers) none of the contributors on this blog are Roman Catholic.
October 21st, 2009 | 10:24 am | #36
Culture war is idolatrous, agreed.
But “Roe is unjust” because it trampled local magistrates, right? Or is it the consensus here that it is right to conceive of Roe in modernist terms, where the discussion is framed in terms of individual rights and liberties (those of either fetuses or females) instead of institutions? But if culture war is bad because of its confusion of the kingdoms (and it certainly is), one might also consider Bork when it comes to how it messes up things in the civil arena:
“I oppose abortion. But an amazing number of people thought that I would outlaw abortion. They didn’t understand that not only did I have no desire to do that, but I had no power to do it. If you overrule Roe v. Wade, abortion does not become illegal. State legislatures take on the subject. The abortion issue has produced divisions and bitterness in our politics that countries don’t have where abortion is decided by legislatures. And both sides go home, after a compromise, and attempt to try again next year. And as a result, it’s not nearly the explosive issue as it is here where the court has grabbed it and taken it away from the voters.”
October 21st, 2009 | 11:50 am | #37
I assume you aren’t advocating no political involvement whatsoever. Because is some areas the only reason why some things are legal or illegal is because Christians were too busy being spiritual to do things such as mow the lawn, paint the house, and vote.
October 21st, 2009 | 12:22 pm | #38
Very good article indeed.
October 21st, 2009 | 1:17 pm | #39
I would only add, we are called to be both Salt & Light. As one who has been heavily involved in the “culture war” for a few decades, I agree with the point that changing laws, working to put Godly leaders in office, etc. is ONLY the Salt part of our calling. We should just as zealously work in the realm of shining the Light into the dark hearts of our neighbors.
I would posit that for decades mission organizations and evangelistic organizations have been doing just that … while the mission of being Salt in our world was NOT performed because being involved in politics was considered dirty.
Balance is the key …
One can even discuss this from the perspective that: 1) Those gifted at evangelism NEED the prayers and financial support of 2) Those gifted at political leadership … NEED the financial/activism support of 1) Those gifted at evangelism … etc.
October 21st, 2009 | 5:27 pm | #40
Thanks for the article, Mr. Wilson.
Zrim, buddy, you’re everywhere!!
I think I get the heart of the article, and I agree with the heart. I don’t like then tendency toward false dilemmas, which I happen upon often in 2K thought. I’ll keep working through it all and understand it better. In the meantime, thanks for writing, Jared.
-Tim
October 21st, 2009 | 7:07 pm | #41
Amen, Jared!
I would add #11) It fragments the body of Christ, which has the effect of:
a) erecting impenetrable walls between faithful believers
b) distracting us from the gospel/kingdom
c) stealing our affections for Christ
d) harming our witness
October 21st, 2009 | 7:10 pm | #42
I agree with Dan – a good addition
October 22nd, 2009 | 12:03 am | #43
I live just a few miles from a high school in Georgia where there has been a huge debate over the banners that the cheerleaders make for the football players to run through. It seems that they used to use verses from the Bible, until someone complained about the possible misuse of the practice as some type of “establishment of religion” by the state.
The outcry over this – lots of signs stating “we support the cheerleaders”, a few rallies, etc., while sincere & well-meaning, doesn’t seem to amount to much in the actual Kingdom. I mean, its easy to say that you support the cheerleaders, it’s harder to do some of the things that we could be doing to help out our fellow man. (Feeding the hungry, spending time with the elderly in nursing homes, providing for the poor, praying for our enemies, etc.)
I liked how Bob Myers wrote about the way we “…have sunk so much of their [our] resources into this….” Before we react to a situation in our community, are we stopping to think & pray it through? What would Jesus do in the situation? How would He direct us to use our gifts / talents / resources to help those in need? Is there a need to react to the situation, or would He have us serving others behind the scenes, away from the banners & media coverage, yet in ways that will have a huge & lasting impact on the lives of those around us?
Earlier this week I saw a truck w/ the words, “I am a warrior for Christ, & will fight for Him!” painted across the back window. Great…but I don’t recall Him asking us to fight as much as to serve the least of these. (The sheep & the goats comes to mind – & I shudder.)
October 22nd, 2009 | 1:20 am | #44
Hi Jared,
I do not really see that you or anyone here has rebuted any of Douglas Wilson’s points.
Even the Dr Turk!
I thought the comments regarding the whole Coral Ridge vote really foreshadowed the younger generations new direction that many plan to take the local church. Even Justin Taylor cut the comments off when the discussion got lively.
I agree with the dismissed sub- title of Douglas Wilsons blog…Dualism is Bad JuJu.
Frankly lets just call it what it really is…..Sin.
Faith for all of Life.
Robert I Masters
October 22nd, 2009 | 8:36 am | #45
Well said! Thank you for saying what I’ve been thinking for a long time but didn’t know how or to whom I should say it or if I should even say it at all. Actually you said much more than my little mind had conceived. My rant had to do with being both a born-again believer and a member of a mainstream (southern baptist) denomination that for all intents and purposes has cleaved to abortion as the defining issue for any and all political agendas. There is a saying filed in the archives of my aging baby-boomer brain that has for as long as I can remember influenced my thinking on the subject. If I ever knew the originator, I have long since forgotten, but the saying goes: “You can’t legislate morality.” I have felt at odds with my church whenever the cry to rally around the pro-life agenda comes up, not because I disagree with the basic precept that abortion is wrong, but because I was 15, unsaved, and pregnant when the decision from Roe v. Wade made first trimester abortion legal in the United States; I have the dubious distinction of being among the first to have had an abortion legally in this country. It was a decision that was made primarily by my well-meaning but unsaved parents that forever changed me. Who’s to say that the burden of guilt I carried over that event was not essential to my recognition 12 years later of my utter sinfulness and prerequisite to my glorious salvation through faith in the blood of Jesus Christ? Abortion is the one event in my life that I most regret and, while I have never before spoken of it publicly, I would be willing to shout it from the rooftops if I thought it would spare someone a similar lifetime of regret or lead someone to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. My feeling, after earning a Master’s degree in Social Work and working for 15 years as a substance-abuse counselor, is that it would most likely do neither.
Getting back to the point, one of the most fundamental building blocks of my understanding of the Christian faith is the realization that ALL sin is wrong and abhorrent to God. How misguided it seems for the mainstream Church to have so magnified this particular sin and become so entrenched in the secular quasi-political debate. Your eloquent post really hit the nail on the head as far as I’m concerned. Thank you.
October 22nd, 2009 | 3:02 pm | #46
I appreciated some of the comments more than the post itself!
October 23rd, 2009 | 7:54 pm | #47
[...] will go to hell. He gave ten reasons that I would like to interact with briefly, but make sure you go over there first and read the full expression of his reasons first. My responses will not be an expression of any [...]
October 28th, 2009 | 8:03 am | #48
[...] – Jared Wilson, on the Culture War [...]
October 29th, 2009 | 6:26 am | #49
[...] Virtual Church By Mark O. A number of posts at Evangel have been touching on the subject of e-Church or having a virtual parish [...]
October 29th, 2009 | 6:26 am | #50
[...] number of posts at Evangel have been touching on the subject of e-Church or having a virtual parish [...]
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