The Rise of Cultural Christianity

By Philip Parnham

Another fascinating article. I personally think that the rise of cultural Christianity represents at the same time both a positive and a negative trend: On the one hand, it shows that there is a growing dissatisfaction with empty consumerism and materialistic cynicism in a threateningly multi-polar world but, on the other hand, in many cases, I fear, it amounts to little more than the latest facelift of ugly, old Christendom.

In many walks of life I am struck by how easily we modern Westerners put up with the elasticity of words, the indeterminacy of standard concepts and how we inject our own hopes and aspirations into relevant expressions. Even in our own Christian circles we are quite happy to have conversations about “love”, “relationships”, “communion” and “Christianity”, thinking we are all on the same page, when often that axiomatic certainty is misplaced. In fact, we would probably do well to incorporate definitional introductions into our presentations and articles just to see whether we are talking about the same thing.

On which note I am concerned that the mere mention of the word “Christianity” can engender warm, fuzzy feelings inside many of us genuine Bible-believing Christians that are ultimately unwarranted. Having lived through the rise and fall of the New Atheists, the Great Deconstruction and a constant stream of publications over the years on ever-dwindling church attendance figures, many of us sincere believers are forever hopeful that “revival” or a “new reformation” might be just around the corner, and we greet the first signs of “renewal” with understandable excitement.

But, in the end, let’s be honest: what on earth is a “Political Christian” or a “Cultural Christian”?! Yes, as the author of the article points out, it is encouraging that someone of Ayaan Hirsi Ali’s stature is publicly testifying to her conversion, and that Tom Holland’s book Dominion is setting people on a journey towards the Christian faith, but I share Chine McDonald’s concern that an avowed atheist like Richard Dawkins should self-identify as “a cultural Christian” simply on account of his fondness for British carols, cathedrals and culture and his aversion to Islam. That alone should give us pause for thought before getting too ecstatic about the rise of cultural Christianity.

Moreover, when reading the aforementioned article, I felt the following statement was key: “A YouGov poll in 2020 found that, even among those who identified as Christian, nearly half said that they didn’t believe in God or a higher transcendent power.” To my mind that illustrates perfectly the need for definitional clarity in this debate: what constitutes a Christian? Being a straightforward, relational theist with a Jesus-centric focus, I think we should go no further in Dawkins’ typology than the “Believing Christian”, or, at least that is where we must start.

Quite frankly, within my little world, the label “Cultural Christian” instinctively equates to an oxymoron. It can sound a bit like trying to square God with Mammon. Either you are in a practising, faith-relationship with God and his people through Jesus, or you are not. Perhaps on a more charitable reading, a “Cultural Christian” is someone who identifies with a set of ideas and ideals that are deemed to be (vaguely) Judeo-Christian in origin, but this is abstract, ideological, not Jesus-centric, relational Christianity. If Tom Holland describes himself as “a Christian” without “cultural qualifier” who is “prone periodically to bouts of Nietzschean atheism”, do we really want to celebrate him as one of our very own, unlikely champions?

For me the undisputed positive in all of this is that people – many of them under 25 – are starting to look for answers again. Pointedly leaving aside recent high-profile conversions, that is where we have a real opportunity to make the case for real “missional discipleship” and Christianity.

Good, better, best

As to whether the rise of cultural Christianity is a good thing, a bad thing or something in between, I have started to think in terms of a “good-better-best” approach. This approach offers a spectrum that challenges many of the unhelpful binaries within Christianity, which have historically set the social gospel against the gospel proper, faith against works, heaven against earth, law against the gospel, and grace against truth, while also opposing individual salvation to collective wellbeing and word to deed.

Firstly, based on Scripture, I believe it is good to “seek the peace and prosperity of the city” (Jer.29:7), to “be subject to rulers and authorities, be obedient, ready to do good, slander no one, be peaceable and gentle” (Titus 3:1-2), and to “show proper respect to everyone, love the family of believers, fear God, and honour the emperor” (1 Peter 2:13-17). I rejoice in living in a strong, liberal Western democracy, and I want to be a good neighbour and citizen. In this way, I believe every “Believing Christian” should also be a “Cultural Christian,” helping to shape the culture around them.

Secondly, I would say that it is even better to be a Believing, Cultural Christian who promotes Judeo-Christian values within their political system. To that extent, again, I believe that every “Believing Christian” should also be a “Political Christian”. I want to play my little part in the political life of our nation, to build a better society where increasing numbers live by the belief that “there is a God who created all human beings equally [and] gave them an inherent dignity because they’re created in God’s image”.

But I also believe it is better to operate within the confines of the system and to make your voice heard in prayer, in the marketplace of ideas and through the designated channels of political discourse. In fact, I am committed to actively opposing any Christian individual or movement that disgracefully attempts to impose their Judeo-Christian values on the broader population, against the will of the people, by manipulating state institutions for “Christian” purposes — even resorting to force when they deem that to be necessary. That has been one of the cardinal sins of Christendom, and that is also why I am deeply suspicious of the kind of “Political Christian” who is agitating for a nation governed by Christians in accordance with Judeo-Christian principles.

Thirdly, In my view, the best life is a freely chosen, personal faith-relationship with Jesus, leading to eternal life. This includes meaningful relationships with all human beings —local Christians, neighbours, outsiders, even, if possible, enemies — and being good stewards of creation. A good-better-best approach assumes the best encompasses the good and the better.

The ideal is to be a Believing Christian, a Political Christian, and a Cultural Christian. As a friend of mine said to me the other day, to love your neighbour is “to hold your neighbour in one hand and your Christian brother or sister in the other”. And that is something many evangelical Christians desperately need to hear because they have been taught – either explicitly or implicitly – that their raison d’etre is to glorify God by getting as many souls to heaven as possible.

Of course, any Believing Christian longs for their family and friends to know and love Jesus too, but the best should never become the enemy of the good. I submit that being culturally and politically active should still hold value, whether one adopts a conservative, evangelical position on the subject, or one takes the more passive view that introductions to the Almighty are best left to Godself.

And yet, Jesus embodies the very best, and since love drives us to desire the best for others, that motivates us to point to Jesus as Lord, the true giver of eternal, kingdom life. Hence we urge others “you must be saved” (Acts 4:12). “Become a Believing Christian for your own good and the good of those around you”.

These beliefs and practices are what I aim to model in community with others. To me, that defines what it means to be a “Believing Christian,” or simply a Christian.

Philip Parnham. 23 September 2024