Culture in Transition Pt. 3
Culture is always in transition. The person paying attention to transition would notice that certain clues are consistent. These clues reveal that something has changed. Culture changes because the clues are missed or not recognized until it is too late. The challenge with cultural transitions is the simple fact that everything has changed.
There is such a thing as the erosion of culture. The erosion of culture follows this path:
The culture begins to condemn what it used to celebrate.
Then the culture begins to celebrate what it used to condemn.
Finally, the culture begins to condemn those who don’t celebrate its changes.
Isaiah, God’s prophet, pinned these words long ago:
“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil, who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter. Woe to those who are wise in their own eyes and clever in their own sight.” (Isaiah 5:20, 21)
If one were not discerning, one would think that the prophet was speaking about our present culture. Culture refers to “what people do and why they do it.” It can also be defined “as the customary beliefs, social norms, and the material traits of a racial, religious, or social group.” In a broader sense, culture reflects “the everyday existence (a way of life) shared by people in a commonplace.” Ultimately, culture incorporates “the set of shared attitudes, values, goals, and practices that characterize an institution or organization.” The current culture that we live in is in transition. Things have changed!
What was condemned in the past has become a part of the norm. Each generation continues to witness these changes. The challenge is not that things have changed, but that no one seems to realize the impact of the changes on the culture at large. The church is a part of the culture. The church has always been a part of each succeeding change. The church’s role is to communicate the will of God for humanity in any and every transition involving a culture.
Isaiah reminds the men and women of his day that they were a part of a culture under transition. Similarly, the world in which we live fails to discern the changes that are taking place. Many are not spiritually aware of the times in which they are living. Whenever you lose sight of order, there will always be confusion. The season that we are in is fraught with complexity. The present culture has lost sight of what is right, what is truth, and what is eternal.
We, the church, must once again be reminded of the spiritual responsibility that is ours. The greatest testimony the church can have is to remain consistent amid inconsistency. The church exists to be the Light of this world. If there was a time was needed to shine, it is now. May the church lead the way in testifying what is to remain the same despite the many factions promoting change at all costs.