Outside the Box
Ekklesia, Part V Continued
Christians and Culture
The relationship between Christianity and culture has always been a complex one. Jesus was a person influenced by his own Semitic culture. That is evident, for example, in the parables he employs to teach about the reign of God. One of the challenges of the early Church was to translate the Good News of Jesus Christ in ways that could be understood and accepted by people who breathed the air of the Hellenistic culture that permeated the Mediterranean world. Today, Christians in the United States grapple with questions of how to live as followers of Jesus in a culture that presents both rich opportunities and serious problems for a life of faith.
Gaudium et Spes teaches us that the Christian community exists in a close relationship with culture, one characterized by both appreciation and constructive criticism. It defines culture in a general way as “all those things which go to the refining and developing of man’s diverse mental and physical endowments” (n. 53). The constitution acknowledges the wonderful advancements in knowledge and skill in the modern world: “Christians ought to be convinced that the achievements of the human race are a sign of God’s greatness and the fulfillment of his mysterious design” (n. 34). People of faith, then, should contribute their gifts and energy to the development of the world. Through our efforts on behalf of the common good of humanity, we become co-creators with God. Christian belief in eternal life with God is not a source of discouragement, but of encouragement, to engagement with the concerns of the contemporary world. The constitution states, “Far from diminishing our concern to develop this earth, the expectancy of a new earth should spur us on, for it is here that the body of a new human family grows, foreshadowing in some way the age which is to come. That is why, although we must be careful to distinguish earthly progress clearly from the increase of the kingdom of Christ, such progress is of vital concern to the kingdom of God, insofar as it can contribute to the better ordering of human society” (n. 39). In other words, all the good that we bring about through our human endeavors will be lifted up and transfigured in the fullness of the reign of God.
The constitution proceeds to say that the relationship between the Church and the modern world is marked by mutuality. The Church must fulfill its mission of proclaiming the Gospel to all people. It must leaven the world, and each individual culture, with the Good News of Jesus Christ. At the same time, the bishops also recognize that the Church receives much from the world. In some circles today, it is popular to engage in a “culture bashing” that fixates on the negative dimensions of the world around us. We often hear talk about the “culture of death” in which we live. While it is certainly true that there is much about our U.S. culture that is “death-dealing,” Gaudium et Spes encourages us to remain in constructive dialogue with our culture and with the world around us. It suggests that Christians must learn from what is best in our culture and, through the witness of their lives, should challenge and enrich the culture with the values of the Gospel.
Social Justice
Gaudium et Spes draws on the rich heritage of the Church’s social justice teaching to encourage Catholics to work for a greater recognition of human rights and a more equitable sharing in the gifts of creation. It gives voice to themes that would later be developed in the social teaching of Paul VI, John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and the United States Bishops. The constitution recognizes the advances in the production and distribution of goods made possible by modern technology. At the same time, it points out that these advances have not succeeded in addressing the massive social inequalities present in our world. “At the very same time when economic progress (provided it is directed and organized in a reasonable and human way) could do so much to reduce social inequalities, it serves all too often only to aggravate them; in some places it even leads to a decline in the position of the underprivileged and contempt for the poor” (n. 63). The contemporary reader is reminded here of the double-edged effects of globalization: while it has increased communication and other forms of exchange among people across the globe, in some cases it has resulted in further marginalization of people from poor countries.
Gaudium et Spes challenges Catholics to advocate for economic progress that truly serves the entire human family. Economic development should not be promoted for itself alone, or merely for the advantaged few, but for common good of all. The bishops say, “To fulfill the requirements of justice and equity, every effort must be made to put an end as soon as possible to the immense economic inequalities which exist in the world and increase from day to day, linked with individual and social discrimination, provided, of course, that the rights of individuals and the character of each people are not disturbed” (n. 66). The bishops recognize the complex nature of economic policy and the difficulties inherent in developing ways of meeting the needs of the poor across the world. Still, they invite Catholics to commit themselves to this task. This is a challenge that is just as relevant today as it was forty years ago.
The Pastoral Constitution on the Church in the Modern World makes for rewarding reading. It summons every Catholic to reflect on the relationship between the faith that we profess and our everyday endeavors in work, family and society. The constitution reminds us of the goodness of the world that comes from the hands of a munificent Creator and that was further ennobled by the incarnation of the Son of God. It also challenges us to give credible witness to our faith in Jesus Christ and, in so doing, to imbue the world with the values of the reign of God.
For Reflection
In what ways, am I called to affirm and promote the dignity of the human person through my everyday life in the world?
