Quick overview of Richard Neibuhr, theologian of the Cold-War, German reformed neo-orthodox. Culture is derived from the language of gardening – the taste that rule the culture, elite, pop-culture, etc.

Neo-orthodoxy tries to capture reformation back from the liberal orthodoxy (Fatherhood of God and brotherhood of man). We need to return to the God of scripture. Neo-orthodoxy (must be brought back to the reformation, uphold God’s transcendence, man’s sinfulness, personal experience, revelation is God revealing himself in Christ, and must be approached with faith).

Culture is fluid, so Christians should take temperature of where it is headed. Niebuhr teaches five options as how Christ interacts with Culture:

1. Christ against culture
What does Jerusalem have to do with Athens? – Tertullian
Antagonistic towards culture
Sectarianism – Tertullian, Kierkegaard, Anabaptists

2. Christ of culture
Jesus gets absorbed in the culture, Classical liberalism (fatherhood of God and brotherhood of man)
Accommodation of Christ to culture
Gnostics, Sadduccees, Liberation theology

3. Christ above culture – synthesis
Instead of antagonism, or accommodation, this one is synthesis.
Fundamental issue is the Christ and the world, but between God and humans,
World is not cursed, not in opposition to God. Leans towards #2
Thomas Aquinas, Aristotle, faith and reason, relationship between faith and philosophy
Leads towards social conservatism and Christ of culture

4. Christ and Culture in PARADOX
Instead of synthesis, dualism – two spheres that don’t relate
Rejects Christ above culture to synthesis, rules out the transformation of culture,
City of God and City of Man, dualism
Reinholt, Luther, Apostle Paul

5. Christ the transformer of culture
Now but not yet. Do not suffer under the illusion that this world will transform to paradise but are eager to see God’s hand in advancement of science, arts, medicine, etc.
Don’t stand on the sidelines and watch, they want to be God’s agents of reform around him. Redemption extends to culture not just individuals. God is king and sovereign over culture
John, Calvin, Wesley, Augustine
Christians transforms culture, but culture transforms Christians as well.

Response

Resident Aliens – Hauerwas – #5 collapsing to #2 constantine social strategy, while we are aliens transform this land
Alien – Volf – The church doesn’t prop up the government, keeps the integrity of the church in faith, morality. Paradox: one’s best in changing the world, when one’s not of the world.
Kuyperian approach – Neo-Calvinists, rediscover Calvin in Dutch theology – Antithesis #5, #4, #1 – antagonism between Christian and non-Christian – common grace, God gave man common grace to live lives… momentary synchronistic