A Christendom Mindset

In The Shaping of Things to Come, Michael Frost and Alan Hirsch are challenging Christians "to step out of the box of Christendom in order to take on the problems raised by Christendom," and in two paragraphs above, they say, "The issue of cultural context is essential because the missional church shapes itself to fit that context in order to transform it for the sake of the kingdom of God." [Frost and Hirsch, The Shaping of Things to Come (Peadbody, Massachusetts: Hendrickson Publishers, Inc., 2003), 7.] In Rethinking Christ and Culture, Craig Carter recognizes the problems raised by Christendom, but he says, "Asking the question of how the church can have influence on the culture is the wrong question to ask if one's goal is to be faithful to the gospel of Jesus Christ." [Carter, Rethink Christ and Culture (Grand Rapids, MI: Brazos Press, 2006), 23.]

I am not surprised to see two authors in disagreement, but I am asking which approach to take in understanding if the church should be culturally relevant. Both authors recognize the development of the relationship between the church and the state in the Western context that has be characterized as Christendom, which has brought negative consequences on the church. Within a Christendom mindset, the church has lost its voice because she has given it to the state. But it seems that the church must become culturally relevant to regain her voice, but Carter sees that thinking only fueling the Christendom mindset.

The church can go to one extreme and try to be so culturally relevant that she only reflects what the culture is dictating, but she can also go to the other extreme by separating herself from culture that no one hears her voice.

Hopefully, I can continue reading these books as well as others in addition to scriptural reflection and prayer to understand my role as a Christian within the Western culture in which I live; I enjoy reading different perspectives to challenge me in articulating my ideas and beliefs.
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