Here goes, the last blog post of our LGP journey (calamari!)<\/p>\r\n
Knowing that Tom Holland\u2019s Dominion<\/em> was waiting for us at the end of this semester, I\u2019ve noticed his name popping up seemingly everywhere I look for the past couple of months. First, I saw his book on a friend\u2019s bookshelf. Then he was discussed in a podcast I listen to regularly. I heard his name in connection with other authors we\u2019ve read in the LGP program, like Jordan Peterson and Michael Bird. My interest was piqued. What does Holland have to say that is so special, I wondered.<\/p>\r\n It turns out that his main idea is quite straightforward. Holland asserts that Christianity has so permeated Western culture that our most dearly held values stem from this ancient faith, even though we no longer recognize them as such. These values include concepts like the inherent dignity of each individual or the value of life itself manifested in investments in healthcare and education. We, even our non-Christian neighbors, would consider these to be fundamentally good and right. But Holland argues that this would not be the case without a Christian history.[1]<\/a><\/p>\r\n Interesting as his argument may be, there are two by-products of Holland\u2019s work that I find even more fascinating. First, numerous self-proclaimed atheists are re-labeling themselves as \u201ccultural Christians.\u201d Broadly speaking, this would include individuals who desire to \u201cuphold the legacy of the Judaeo-Christian tradition\u201d and value the \u201cunifying story\u201d and \u201cthe principles of Christianity.\u201d[2]<\/a> This in no way means that these individuals believe in the importance of confession sin and placing their faith in Jesus for salvation. They simply appreciate the fruit of the Christian worldview. Holland himself leads readers to question whether that approach is sustainable.[3]<\/a> The late Tim Keller suggests that it is not. He agrees that atheists can be highly principled and act unselfishly, but can an entire people group continue on in this fashion? Can Western society simultaneously move farther and farther from the core of the gospel message and sustain its underlying Christian values? Keller suggests that without a sincere belief in God, the motivation to live self-sacrificially will crumble.[4]<\/a> This calls to mind the apostle Paul\u2019s words to Timothy when he describes humans of the day as \u201chaving a form of godliness but denying its power\u201d (2 Timothy 3:5 NIV).<\/p>\r\n The second fascinating question I ran across is the following: Is cultural Christianity better than no Christianity at all?[5]<\/a> On one hand, living in a society that reflects Christian heritage is to the benefit of all, certainly to the benefit of the poor, women, children, etc. On the other hand, if our society\u2019s values were wildly opposed to Christianity, might we have more opportunity to be a \u201ccity on a hill\u201d (Matthew 5:14 NIV)?<\/p>\r\n That brings me to my dinner table. My family often hears me say something like, \u201cWow, I did not expect our dinner conversation to go there!\u201d The latest installment of Sanford dinner conversation involved discussing the New Testament household codes and God\u2019s view of slavery. I recently learned (and thus lectured my children about) the pattern Paul and other New Testament writers employ mirrors the writings of ancient moral philosophers such as Aristotle and Seneca. The early readers of the New Testament would have been familiar with the civic codes of Aristotle, etc., so the common pattern of husband\/wife, parent\/child, master\/slave were recognizable. In the Greco-Roman worldview the paterfamilias (male head of the household) had ultimate authority and expected to be obeyed. Anything less pointed to a poorly run household. Our modern ears might hear the New Testament household codes (Colossians 3:18-4:1; Ephesians 5:21-6:9 and others) and object to the subservience of women or the acceptance of slavery. But we have to remember that these passages which \u201creenforce care and compassion\u201d teach the paterfamilias that he is not the ultimate authority, but he is subject to a Sovereign Lord.[6]<\/a><\/p>\r\n If this post has taken a bit of a detour, let me connect the dots. The early church was a light on a hill because their relationships (husband\/wife, parent\/child, master\/slave) were recognizable to their Greco-Roman neighbors while being radically different, overflowing with care and compassion and love that came from Christ. As society has aligned more closely to Judeo-Christian values, perhaps our \u201ccity on a hill\u201d opportunities are different. We\u2019ve discussed at length becoming undefended as a leader; perhaps that offers us a unique \u201ccity on a hill\u201d opportunity. Perhaps the opportunity lies in becoming a humble, RARE leader. Perhaps the opportunity is different for each of us. I have a few more ideas, but I would love to throw the question out to my cohort. In your context, maybe personally, maybe in the church you lead, what do you see as your \u201ccity on a hill\u201d opportunity?<\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n <\/p>\r\n [1]<\/a> John Gray, \u201cWhy the liberal West is a Christian creation,\u201d 18 September 2019, <\/strong>https:\/\/www.newstatesman.com\/culture\/2019\/09\/why-the-liberal-west-is-a-christian-creation<\/p>\r\n [2]<\/a> Madeleine Davies, \u201cThe rise of cultural Christianity,\u201d 21 August 2024, <\/strong>https:\/\/www.newstatesman.com\/cover-story\/2024\/08\/the-rise-of-cultural-christianity<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\r\n [3]<\/a> Holland, Tom. Dominion<\/em>. La Vergne, TN: Basic Books, 2019. 540<\/p>\r\n [4]<\/a> Tim Keller, \u201cNietzsche Was Right,\u201d September 23, 2020, https:\/\/www.thegospelcoalition.org\/reviews\/dominion-christian-revolution-tom-holland\/<\/strong><\/p>\r\n [5]<\/a> Vischer, Phil. \u201cKeep Christianity Weird & Lessons from the Church Abuse Scandal with Kristen Kobes Du Mez<\/strong>\u201d. The Holy Post,<\/em>\u00a0October 9, 2024. Podcast, https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?app=desktop&v=d34Fq6YkEd8<\/a><\/p>\r\n