Are our spiritual values cultural or scriptural?
Monday, February 1, 2010 at 9:56AM Some of what we may think are biblically-informed perspectives of ours may in fact be more culturally-formed than biblical. This happens to everyone: whether you're comfortable in the organized church or not; whether you're a staunch defender of doctrine, or part of the grace movement. It happens to each of us.
- For example, if you were born before WWII and think it's your duty to serve Christ -- because after all, he's forgiven you and you owe him your sacrifice -- then your convictions may have more to do with you being part of the "Builder" generation where duty and sacrifice were values. You may have a difficult time understanding the radical nature of grace.
- On the other end of the spectrum, if you believe Jesus allows multiple ways to God and that his grace allows for a variety of paths, this may have more to do with postmodernity's infiltration into your consciousness -- particularly the decades of the freethinking 60's and 70's. Within the church in recent decades, there has been a resurgence of unconstrained and unfettered thought, in part arising out of post-modern ideas of 'freedom': "Don't you dare tell me how to think, or what conclusions I should draw. Jesus permits 'all things' now."
This shaping happens to everyone. Me? I'm a 'Tweener' born in the gap between the Baby Boomers and the Busters. I don't belong anywhere - yet inherit values from both.
Now, I'm way oversimplifying the complexities here. There are more factors that influence our thoughts -- for example, our experiences and our wounds will color our thoughts about God. On the other hand, some of our convictions are clearly revealed to us by God and are true to his self-revelation.
But...it ought to at least move us to identity our assumptions and their sources. After all, we are interested in what is real and true, aren't we?
Reader Comments (3)
Hi Jim,
Hmmm....good question. I don't think I belong anywhere so much. I'm in my early 30's and that's not like any kind of special generation.
Once, early on, I was pretty open to hearing what others had to say and I still have some of that. But, the more I got into church and stuff and heard a lot of things that I have now come to believe is nonsense and frankly destructive...I am far less open now. Also, a lot of what people tried to tell me was based on a false perception of gender and what people presume God's idea of what I should be because I am a woman.
I was told there was a lot I couldn't do because I am female and that commentary came from both men and women. I get pretty suspicious of any unsolicited advice especially when I can tell it is given based upon someone's supposition about me or about what women "should" be like or do. So definitely, it's a gender thing for me. I think it's because churches really try to make women feel like they should take a back seat and not be vocal, or stand out in any way. I felt like I was a target for being a woman...
There are people whose advice I do listen to and consider safe enough to allow those ideas in... If someone doesn't have a vested interest in me and doesn't know my heart...I tell them to stuff it very often...:0)
But as far as service to God....I feel like it's the least I can do...I don't feel that I am required to do anything or guilty if I don't..it's just like God and I are on the same team and it feels good to do God "a solid" once in a while. He fills me up with love and it almost aches not to share it.
I have a special place in my heart for other women and want them to feel encouraged and empowered and whatever I can do to make women I know or encounter feel good about themeles it makes my day. I adore men, too...but it's a different thing....
Meredith
Hey Meredith, thanks for sharing this. Our experiences (inside and outside of 'church') can definitely shape and color our current values. We tend to make declarations (even unconscious ones) like, "I'll never do THAT again;" or "Fine! If that's the way it's going to be then I'll ..." Those declarations end up unconsciously influencing our responses to future circumstances.
Hey Jim,
Exactly right! I think a lot of the time it's a good thing because it is a decision based on something that comes from expereice. What would be really bad is if I had decided "Well, all men are stupid jerks and just want to hold me back, therefore men are bad." That would be really wrong. :0) I love men.
For me though, it seems that is what I find in churches and that's why I no longer go... :0(
Meredith :0)