Christ and Culture

As the early church began to grow exponentially, they encountered a difficult task. How do they 'become all things to all men' yet still live as 'aliens and strangers' in a pagan culture? The church must make decisions on how they will remain true to their Lord Jesus, yet not compromise with the world around them.

These types of decisions were difficult to make and often cost believers both family and friendships. If Christianity is right and true, then it is right and true for everyone. In the midst of explosive growth and deadly persecution, the believers pursued righteousness and often had to separate themselves from the festivals, events, and cultural activities of the world. 

The following pdf, entitled 'Christ and Culture', gives a brief overview of how the early church answered the world around them and gives ideas for how we should both embrace and reject our culture. 

CHRIST and CULTURE PDF

In conclusion, Christians were early on called 'The Soul of the World' by one writer. Read this brief excerpt of the Christian's role in the world from the The Epistle to Diognetus.

To speak in general terms, we may say that the Christian is to the world what the soul is to the body. As the soul is present in every part of the body, while remaining distinct from it, so Christians are found in all the cities of the world, but cannot be identified with the world. As the visible body contains the invisible soul, so Christians are seen living in the world, but their religious life remains unseen. The body hates the soul and wars against it, not because of any injury the soul has done it, but because of the restriction the soul places on its pleasures. Similarly, the world hates the Christians, not because they have done it any wrong, but because they are opposed to its enjoyments.
Christians love those who hate them just as the soul loves the body and all its members despite the body's hatred. It is by the soul, enclosed within the body, that the body is held together, and similarly, it is by the Christians, detained in the world as in a prison, that the world is held together. The soul, though immortal, has a mortal dwelling place; and Christians also live for a time amidst perishable things, while awaiting the freedom from change and decay that will be theirs in heaven. As the soul benefits from the deprivation of food and drink, so Christians flourish under persecution. Such is the Christian’s lofty and divinely appointed function, from which he is not permitted to excuse himself.