In their fine book, Exploring Ecclesiology, Harper and Metzger take up the question of Christ and culture in Chapter 13. They use H. Richard Niebuhr’s model of Christ and culture, Christ vs. culture, etc. They also use the model of Dietrich Bonhoeffer and how he stood up against Germany in a time when Germany nationalism was so incredibly strong.

Bonhoeffer’s original stance was to love mother Germany and do it as a Christian. To be Christian was to be German. That blew up on the fields of France in World War I. His older brother Karl was killed in battle and the young Bonhoeffer lost his cultural compass.

The question of being too nationalistic is one we struggle with in America. On the conservative evangelical side (where my roots are), we made fun of “liberals” getting too involved in government back in the 1960s. As “conservatives” we want “limited government.” So, what does “limited government” mean? Electing the “right” officials who will overturn Roe v. Wade and make legislative decisions that keep morality in the culture. (Sounds like limited government, right?)

But on the “right” and the “left” the Church in America has leaned too heavily on government action. We have missed out on identifying the Church’s witness in terms of the power of the cross. We place our confidence in the government doing the right thing. On the right, for example, it’s turning over Roe v. Wade. On the left, for example, it is passing universal healthcare. We need the government to act like the church.

Then, we find a Church searching to be “relevant” to our culture. We have “Relevant Church” or “Real Church” or “Real Life Church.” (Yep, before our “Real Life Church” came into town all you had was “Fake Life Church.” Good thing we are here now!)

Harper and Metzger make this interesting argument about relevance: The gospel creates its own relevance. Go figure.

We’re going around like salesmen for some gospel tonic and the Holy Spirit actually transforms people? Really? How come we didn’t get the memo on that one?

Instead of selling a product, we are to be witnesses to a Kingdom. We are participating in the life a new kingdom. A new reality. Our king is one who is abundant and we participate in that abundance.

So, while the question, “Is God relevant to our culture?” is being tossed around, we are afraid of the larger question.

“Are the church and surrounding cultures relevant to the Triune God, who indwells, interrupts, and invites the society at large to participate in the church as the eschatalogical kingdom culture here and now?”

We’re asking, “Is God relevant to the culture?”

We should ask, “Are we being relevant to the Triune God?”

We are to be shaped by the power of the Spirit. We are not to shape God into the influence of our culture.

Tough question. No wonder we don’t ask it. We’d have to actually change. Who needs that?