The Prequel To Our Cultural Moment
That a slave, ‘a slight, frail, despised woman’, might be set among the elite of heaven, seated directly within the splendour of God’s radiant palace, ahead of those who in the fallen world had been her immeasurable superiors, was a potent illustration of the mystery that lay at the heart of the Christian faith.[1]
In the same way that The Hobbit lays the groundwork for The Lord of the Rings, Tom Holland’s Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World serves as a cultural prequel to the world we live in today. It’s not a story about hobbits, wizards, and dragons, but of a crucified Son of God, apostles, bishops, revolutions, and a slow reshaping of human values.
Tom Holland articulates the profound shaping influence on Western society of the mystery of a crucified Messiah, which lies at the heart of Christianity. He suggests that frameworks of our moral imagination are inextricably linked to Christian thought, regardless of someone’s acknowledgment. In fact, it is so woven into the Western way of being that one no longer recognizes it as Christian. He argues, “Even to write about it in a Western language is to use words infused with Christian connotations. ‘Religion’, ‘secular’, ‘atheist’ are not neutral. All, though they derive from the classical past, come freighted with the legacy of Christendom.”[2] Holland shows how values that feel universal today, such as compassion, human rights, and equality, did not emerge from Athens or Rome, but from Jerusalem and the radical message of a crucified God.
This idea of Christianity’s shaping of the West is also one of the themes explored by Mark Sayers in the podcast This Cultural Moment with John Mark Comer. While Holland provides the historic analysis, Sayers provides the cultural GPS in this present moment in history. Holland shows us how we arrived, and Sayers provides us with navigation through the present cultural fog into the future. Sayers’ work dovetails seamlessly with Holland’s thesis, particularly through his recurring theme of the “kingdom without the king.” In This Cultural Moment, Sayers describes our current era as a “third culture”. The “third culture” has inherited Christianity’s ethical framework, with values like compassion and equality, but rejected the source. He argues that secular society craves the benefits of the Kingdom of God (social justice, personal freedom) without submitting to the King (Jesus Christ). This isn’t just abstract. Sayers points to real-time examples, like cancel culture on the progressive left or Christian nationalism on the right, both borrowing from Christian moral fervour, but devoid of the grace and forgiveness at the heart of our faith.[3] Reading Holland alongside This Cultural Moment is like getting the prequel and the sequel
One of the things that I found compelling in the book was the sacrifice and courage it required down through the centuries to develop and cultivate the Christian worldview. Holland highlights Irenaeus, a second-century bishop, as a key figure in this process. Holland claims, “Irenaeus knew perfectly well that he was competing for customers in an open market. Hence his enthusiasm for the momentous new concept of orthodoxy. Beliefs, after all, did not patrol themselves. They had to be promoted, and upheld against their rivals.”[4] This passage underscores the competitive intellectual environment of the early Christian era, where diverse philosophical and religious traditions, such as Gnosticism, paganism, and other Hellenistic ideologies, contended for dominance.
Irenaeus’ efforts to articulate and defend Christian orthodoxy required not only intellectual precision but also came with considerable personal risk. In an era when persecution of Christians was commonplace, advocating for a unified set of beliefs was an act of defiance against both Roman authorities and rival sects. Holland illustrates how Irenaeus’ work laid the foundation for a standardized Christian doctrine, which was essential for the faith’s survival and expansion. I am grateful for the courageous and sacrificial faith of the church fathers and mothers.
However, while there are numerous examples of courage, sacrifice, and compassion, there is also considerable evidence of the dark side of Christianity. Holland doesn’t shy away from exposing the darkness. When the church chose dominance through coercion, marginalizing dissent, and aligning themselves with political authority the more troubling facets of Christianity come into view.
The dual historical trajectory of Christianity made me ponder about the present and future orientation of Christianity. The church has embodied both the radical humility of Christ and the ambitions of worldly power. This compels me to wonder what will characterize this current era of Christianity. When future generations examine Christian witness, what stories will emerge? Will the church be remembered for its faithfulness to the teachings of Christ or for its infatuation with popularity, dominance and self-interest?
These questions also cause self-reflection, because they are personal. In this cultural moment, what kind of leader will I choose to become? What kind of leaders will I develop? What kinds of churches will we cultivate as a movement? The challenge before me is to discern whether I will continue to walk in the way of Christ, embracing the costly path of humble sacrifice and forgiveness, or whether I will succumb to the seductions of power and control.
[1] Tom Holland, Dominion: How the Christian Revolution Remade the World, First US edition (New York: Basic Books, 2019), 111.
[2] Holland, Dominion, 13.
[3] “This Cultural Moment | Podcast on Spotify,” Spotify, accessed September 7, 2025, https://open.spotify.com/show/5vc4AILCeO1HDAQV8jE8J4.
[4] Holland, Dominion, 113.
About the Author
Graham English
I was born in Cape Town, South Africa 30 minutes from Table Mountain, the Indian Ocean and the Atlantic Ocean. My family immigrated to Vancouver, Canada where I spent my teen years, met Wendy, and got married. We now live on the Canadian prairies in northern Alberta. I think God has a sense of humour. I'm a follower of Jesus, work in leadership and church development, love my family and walk a lot.14 responses to “The Prequel To Our Cultural Moment”
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.
Thank you for your post, Graham. Your remark that “secular society craves the benefits of the Kingdom of God (social justice, personal freedom) without submitting to the King (Jesus Christ)” reminds me of a statement I heard earlier in a podcast that said something along these lines, only this person felt that people today are overwhelmed by technology and bored, which is how they have come to see religion and politics as one in the same. As a pastor, how do the challenges of the present era compare with other generations or circumstances in the past? What do you think we are most at risk of doing or losing?
Good question, Jennifer.
I think our current western church values comfort over sacrifice. When I read Dominion and the history of some of our current denominations, I am struck by the fact that the gospel progressed because of the sacrifice and courage of people. The Western church prizes comfort and even proclaims it from the pulpits through the “word of faith” movement.
Thanks Graham. I resonate with your post. What are some good next steps towards this type of leadership you are proposing? Where would I start?
Ryan, the where would I start question is a good one and a complex one. It really depends on the person.
I think some general next steps might be:
1. Dealing with ego – developing leaders who know how to die to self and live in the power of the Holy Spirit.
2. Shedding the “hero cape” – our church culture continues to esteem heroic forms of leadership. We need to reclaim courage rather than heroism. Every person can be called to courage, but not every person can be called to heroism.
3. Practicing discernment – recognizing that Jesus is the true head of the church, leading it in real-time, is critical. Learning how to hear his voice, live in obedience to it, and teaching others to do the same.
4. Resisting political power as the means to gospel advancement. There is a difference between speaking prophetically to those is power, and thereby influencing them, and allowing the church to be tied to a political agenda.
Hi Graham,
Your post is rich with reflection and cultural critique.
How can the church reclaim the essence of Christ’s humility and grace in a culture that seeks the fruits of Christianity without its root?
My one-word answer would be “discipleship”. John 15, abiding in Christ, explains the key to fruit-bearing.
Graham, thank you for this deep post. I appreciate your reflection questions at the end. What are some safeguards leaders can implement to “[embrace] the costly path of humble sacrifice and forgiveness” and not “succumb to the seductions of power and control?”
Good question, Kari. I think healthy relational accountability with a trusted few would be a good place to start.
Secondly, healthy accountability to those in authority (boards, lead pastors) etc. There has to be a structure of healthy accountability for all leaders that addresses more than the “results”. Character has to be addressed in workplace evaluations.
Graham,
I like the way you mentioned the great cities and their influence, but that it was Jerusalem that continues to influence us. Now, I wonder if Jerusalem will continue to be the influencing city or if something else will take its place. Will Washington DC? Mecca? Bejing? Cape Town? Moscow? Or will it continue to be the fought over city of Jerusalem?
Adam, I mean I think he argues for the ongoing ripple effect of Jerusalem. However, I wonder if there will be another city that rises up spiritually to influence the world for Christ.
Hey Graham,
Thank you for your post. I’ve really appreciated the reflections from our cohort on the grotesque nature of the cross and how it was viewed as scandalous. Those perceptions still feel very present in many non-Christian environments, as I know you understand. I was especially struck by the way you highlighted the sacrifice made for the sake of the gospel. I believe this is something the modern Western church still has to come to terms with—asking honestly, what are we truly willing to sacrifice for our faith? Too often, we have grown comfortable. In your context and through your influence, how do you encourage followers of Jesus to embrace sacrifice for the sake of their faith?
Elysse, I think it starts with the “small” acts of obedience that seem obvious but are not always practiced. Things like forgiveness, serving, giving etc all require some form of sacrifice. If people are not willing to sacrifice in that way, how will they every make the larger sacrifices required to advance the mission?
I see it as an issue of discipleship. People must be taught and must experience the amazing reality of obedience. Sacrificial obedience is not giving something up for nothing. It is actually giving up a lesser thing for something greater. It’s the words of Paul in Philippians 3, “Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
Hi Graham, I appreciate your self-reflection about what kind of leader you would like to become and the kind of leaders you would like to develop. I pray you choose the first option you mentioned and continue to walk in the way of Jesus. What are some steps that might help you discern where you are now and how to point emerging leaders to follow Jesus rather than the cultural norms?
Diane, Here’s what I do personally:
1. Daily time in Scripture and prayer and weekly sabbath. I also journal regularly and ask myself 5 questions (what am I grateful for? What do I need to confess? What should I watch out for? What should I go after? What should I prioritize today?) Nothing else keeps me grounded and oriented like these disciplines.
2. My wife, Wendy, is an amazing partner that pulls in the same direction as I do.
3. I have a robust peer accountability group that helps keep me focused on Jesus.
For the development of leaders…
I am helping leaders root their identity in Christ, develop a posture of servanthood that results in collaboration, and developing the skills they need to flourish in the assignment Jesus has given them (rather than climb the ladder).