Representatives
New Testament (displays some of Christ Against Culture type but all with qualification)
Matthew | Revelation |
1 John
2nd century writing: (Christ Against Culture type better exemplified in these later 2nd century writings)
Didache: (Teaching of the Twelve)
(Wikipedia entry |
in Early Christian Writings |
in Catholic
Encyclopedia |
Didache Garrow |
at Spurgeon.org
)
The Epistle of Barnabas:
(Wikipedia Entry | in Early Christian Writings |
in Catholic Encyclopedia | in Ante-Nicene Fathers | in the Reluctant Messenger |)
The Epistle to Diognetus:
(in Wikipedia |
in Early Christian Writings |
in Catholic Encyclopedia | in Ante-Nicene Fathers | in Manachos.net
The Shepherd of Hermas:
in Early Christian Writings
First Epistle of Clement
in Early Christian Writing
Tertullian
(Wikipedia Entry | the Tertullian Project |
in Catholic
Encyclopedia | in Early Christian Writings | in Religious Texts index
more
Christ Against Culture
-"uncompromisingly affirms sole authority of Christ over the Christian and resolutely rejects culture's claims to loyalty"
Part I: The New People and The World
New Testament: ("While various New Testament writings evince something of this attitude, none without qualification.")
Matthew: New law with old, yet Christian obligations of obedience to Jewish society and Moses
Revelation: radical rejection of "the world," but in the situation of being persecuted
*1 John(least ambiguous example): -theme of love-the counterpart of loyalty to Christ and the brothers is the rejection of cultural society ("the world") but "though there is no statement here that the Christian is obliged to participate in the work of the social institutions, to maintain or convert them, neither is there any express rejection of the state or of property as such." - loyalty to Christ and brotherhood, without concern for the transitory culture
More
2nd Century:
Various authors present Christianity as a way of life separate from culture
common idea of the Christian community constituting a third "race" besides Jews and Gentiles that was established by Jesus the Lawgiver and King
Tertullian is best example of this type in the 2nd century.
Requires Christian to shun worldliness. The most vicious thing is social, pagan religion...
counsel to withdraw from meetings no only because they are corrupted by their relation to pagan faith but because they require a mode of life contrary to the spirit
political life shunned
more pronounced in prohibitions on philosophy and the arts
against finding similarities of the faith with Greek culture
finds diciples of Greece seeking their own fame and are talkers rather than doers (in conflict with diciples of Heaven)
but couldn't emancipate himself and the church from reliance on and participation in culture, pagan through it was...yet top example of the anti-cultural history of the church..
http://www.centropian.com/religion/academic/theologians/HRNkit/index.html
not positive and warmth of 1 John but a largely negative morality; avoidance of sin and fearsome preparation for the coming day of judgment seem more imporant than thankful acceptance of God's grace in the gift of his son.
more
Go to: Christ Against Culture | Introduction | Part I: The New People and The World | Part II. Tolstoy's Rejection of Culture | Part III. A Necessary and Inadequate Possition | Part IV. Theological Problems
