Christians and Culture #5

Based on the two definitions I have presented (sectarianism and syncretism), I would like to frame our overall question of how Christians should relate to culture in terms of balancing ideas of sectarianism and syncretism to avoid both sins.

Since we are talking about “balance,” we will likely run into areas that appear to be grey areas.  In reality, I believe that the issue is more black and white than one might think; and these grey areas are mostly, if not entirely, founded in the differing worldviews introduced earlier.  If you did not read the post introducing worldviews, I suggest you do so now as we are about to expand on that topic now.

LINK TO WORLDVIEW POST

As mentioned, these worldviews are simply a set of preconceived ideas and “core” assumptions.  I consider core assumptions to be those that we don’t realize that we have and so never even think to challenge.  Our worldview acts as a filter through which we see and judge everything subconsciously.  Acceptance or rejection of human evolution over millions of years by equally intelligent individuals is largely dependent upon worldview.  A person that views the world from a Biblical perspective starts with an assumption that the Bible is true and sees the flaws of evolutionary science.  A person with a secular Humanist (note:  I would be very interested in your comments regarding how worldview may have influenced this definition) worldview starts with an assumption that man-made science can explain everything, and he cannot accept the concept of a creator.  I suspect that you have studied this concept in a psychology class but in that setting, it was probably called a paradigm.  Basically, a worldview is one form of a paradigm.

I am convinced that, for the typical American, core assumptions (and hence worldview) are based more on culture than on Scripture.  Daily exposure to secular Humanism, especially in the form of public education, shapes our worldview without our being aware.  Worldviews are taught more by modeling than direct teaching.  Few of us have been TAUGHT that public schooling is the best method for education – we have simply accepted that because it was the method that was MODELED for us.

Anti-Christian models of reality are pervasive in American culture at the shopping mall, in the books and on the movie screens.  At a minimum, these models desensitize us.  For many, they become the definition of what is acceptable and even to be embraced as progressive.

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Next:  What if the Bible were our ONLY source of information…

Christians and Culture — Options (Part 1)

What are the different ways in which Christians might respond to the culture around them?  For the next couple of posts, we will look at two essentially opposed approaches: “sectarianism” and “syncretism.”

Sectarianism

Definitions (in my words-not copied from the dictionary):

Sectarianism – The tendency to be removed from the world (culture) around us. This term is especially used in relation to religion and most easily can be understood by the example of the Amish.  Even when misguided, the idea of “purity” is a key focus of sectarians.  In extreme cases, this focus leads to sectarians having no contact with those outside of their sect and thus they become irrelevant to society and incapable of impacting others.

Other extreme cases of sectarianism contribute to political and/or social differences which then lead to hatred and violence such as exist between the Sunni and Shiite sects of Islam or between the Catholics and Protestants in Ireland.

The term “sectarian” is nearly always used as a deprecating term, and is often applied to those who take a stand based on principle and are unwilling to make concessions.  Homeschoolers, for example, are often considered to be sectarian because of an unwillingness to compromise their beliefs even when the local school district is a “good one.”

In spite of the negative connotations of the term, we are all, to some degree, sectarian.  At some point, we draw the line and exclude ourselves from some culture or element of culture.

Next time:  Syncretism.