After recently reading Catch-22, this one sentence has been seared into my memory and weighs upon my thoughts. Although it compromises one sentence of one paragraph of an entire book, this sentence creates a haunting image of a cold and sterile modern machine where the sanctity of human life has lost any sense of value in the name of progress.
Literature, I believe, provides much more than an entertaining story line; it grants us insight into the culture in which we live and minister. (Granted, this book was written about 50 years ago, but then again, imagine how far culture has "progressed" since.) In a world where science textbooks replace God's word, and scientists the new prophets of this progressive writ, is it any wonder people have no hope? Rather, the world has turned to musicians to empathize, actors to entertain, the internet to delude, self-centered spirituality to comfort, authors to bestow wisdom, and scientists to answer. Everyone is just "looking for love in all the wrong places."
However, they are looking for love. They are looking for guidance. They are looking for Truth. God has instilled those desires in their very nature, and he has given them a means of attaining it - his Word, taught and lived by His church. We have the answers. We have been given the freedom to love as we ought. Not all dying boys are equal. The church of God should not be just another sterile, indifferent modernist institution. We do value human life because God values human life.
I guess in light of this, I would ask you, "How does our understanding of culture (in this case literature) better enable us to minister effectively in the society which God has placed us?" And, "How do we balance using culture as a means of evangelistic discussion while still maintaining the Bible as supreme authority?"
Let me know what you think.
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2 comments:
Brother, thank you so much for this post. Seeing your critical thinking wed to your pastoral heart encourages us and challenges us to do the same, especially in our interactions with the culture. Now to that -
I would offer that a solid grip on culture and society is helpful in several ways to ministering the Gospel. Certainly our Lord understood the hearts of man and the apostles demonstrated similar care in their preaching of the Gospel. (Paul on Mars Hill) I think Shu's chapel message from Philippians 1:27 was practically instructive in this way.
The ballast to this effort to understand and wrestle with our culture/society, is to understand the power of the Gospel unto salvation. Our wit, our insight, our discernment does not minister the Gospel, rather Paul calls the Gospel a message of foolishness to the world. Only in the heart and mind where the Spirit is working will the message of the cross appear as the wisdom of God to that previously carnal person.
I hope that's helpful. Again, thank you for your efforts.
Jeremy,
excellent post and likewise to your response Josh. I wholeheartedly agree with Josh's summation that the power for engaging our culture lies not in our own might ( praise be to God!) but in the utterly powerful Gospel.
I think it is so important to note the necessity of proper preparation on the part of the messenger of the Gospel.
Several months ago one of our reps, an atheist, and myself discussed matters pertaining to God and eternity. I shamefully admit that I was rather unprepared for the encounter and left more than a little shaken. That instance prompted me to further study and especially further reflection. Jeremy's point is an excellent one, literature, as with so many other mediums, paint a picture for us of how our culture thinks and what it prioritizes. We believe that the true herald of God is a devoted student of God's word, but also an engagor (if W can invent words, why can't I?) of his culture.
It is imperative that we as harbingers of grace understand our culture deeply. Understanding their fears and priorities only opens doors to bring the real answer to their problems-the Gospel.
And as you so aptly put it Josh it is the Gospel that has the real power and at the end of the day the well prepared spreader of Good News can rest in knowing that His Savior will draw His own unto Himself!
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