The Culturally Savvy Christian

I recently read Dick Staub’s The Culturally Savvy Christian: A Manifesto for Deepening Faith and Enriching Popular Culture in an Age of Christianity-Lite.  This is basically Staub’s response to different parts of the church that either attempt to completely reject culture or who uncritically embrace culture.  Because many Christians have rejected culture, the churches influence on culture has lessened, resulting in a more shallow culture.  When other Christians embrace culture, instead of trying to transform culture with biblical values, they take on the weaknesses of the culture.  The result is something that Staub describes as “Christianity-Lite.” 

Staub challenges the reader to take a middle path.  Staub, in his conclusion, provides a manifesto for the culturally savvy Christian.  The final point is a good summary of what this book is about. “I will aspire to be a culturally savvy Christian who is serious about faith, savvy about faith and culture, and skilled in relating the two.”  There was much I liked about this book.  I liked the idea of our goal being the transformation into people who are fully human.  I like the idea of people not be Christian artists but rather Christians who do good art.  There are times that Staub in his criticism of modern culture where he slips into the longing for the “good old days” as if the problem today is that it is not the culture he grew up in (we all do this to a certain extent).  I also think that his is overly critical of aspects of “Christian culture” such as Christian music.  I also wish that he gave more examples of Christians today who are doing what he is hoping for.  He provides a great summary of the work of C.S. Lewis (and to a lesser extent Tolkien) although they are of a previous generation.  Who is doing this now or is that the problem? 

Overall this is a good book that challenges and causes the church to rethink its values.

~ by Stephen Bedard on July 30, 2008.