Submitted to James Ruark
In partial fulfillment of
the requirements for the Apologetics class
of Alliance International
Ministries (A.I.M.)
Objective: To give light in using
popular culture, such as music, movies or art, to present the truth of the
gospel.
Issues: What is the truth(s)
that you are trying to defend?
Usage of popular culture such as movies, music and art can be helpful to present the truth of the gospel as long as it is guided with wisdom and discernment.
Opposing arguments:
What are the arguments used to support the opposing view?
1.
Popular culture affects the behavior of anyone consuming it
particularly Christians.
3. Usage of popular culture in a church setting such as Sunday service or preaching without proper context might be cringe to certain Christian group
4. If there’s a need to use popular culture, it should only be limited
Supporting arguments:
What arguments support the Biblical view?
1.
Christians are exposed every day with different forms of
media.
It’s also a perfect opportunity to relate with others.
But we need to be careful and discerning with media consumption.
As 1 Corinthians 10:23 reminds us, all things are legitimate
but not all things are helpful (expedient, profitable, and wholesome).
Also in popular culture and media consumption, let us be reminded of
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8–9).
2. God gave human creative freedom as part
of free will. This creativity reflects the functional element that God provides
us. According to Taylor Combs, Christians and unbelievers have capacity to create something that reflects God’s glory, beauty,
majesty, love, compassion, and creativity. All beauty is God’s beauty, even
when it comes from surprising sources. This is the part where the doctrine of
common grace enters. God gives common grace to all of His creation: “He causes
his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and
the unrighteous” (Matthew 5:45).
It certainly includes the ability to create beautiful music, inspiring film,
and other forms of art. Christians should keep this in mind
when consuming media, keeping an eye toward holiness,
yes—and also toward beauty.
William Fahey added that arising from talent given by the Creator and from man’s own effort, art is a form of practical wisdom, uniting knowledge and skill, to give form to the truth of reality in a language accessible to sight or hearing. To the extent that it is inspired by truth and love of beings, art bears a certain likeness to God’s activity in what he has created.
3. Popular culture cringe is
not a uniquely Christian issue. It’s a human issue.1
scripture doesn’t speak directly to what elements of pop culture
we should and we should not engage,
because the artifacts of pop culture in ancient times
of the Bible were much different.
Popular culture wasn’t a hindrance in Jesus reaching out to people.
But He reminds His disciples to prepare themselves
whenever they are exposed to the world which includes popular culture.
Jesus said in Matthew 10:16, “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.
This is not different on how old-fashioned Christians react to using popular culture as a portion of reference to preaching.
4.
Many well-intended Christians think their best strategy is to
limit their movie listening to secular music and watching movies to safe and
Christian.2
and even Christian songs or music,
more common responses of those forms of media are as follows:
boring, only reaching to specific target audience particularly Christian viewers and listeners as well as flawed technical aspects.
Christian forms of art may succeed in protecting the adjective (“Christian”)
but often fail in embodying the artistry of the medium.
Thus, it is imperative not only to recall our moral compass
but also to give some artistic guidance for media recreation or consumption.
Switching from defense
to offense: What is an argument that you can develop to go from defense to
offense to advance the Biblical view?
Let’s see Jesus as a model
in dealing with people
who got exposed in popular culture during His time.
These are individuals or people with certain issues
or people in different walks of life. He used parable and stories
so that He can connect with different tribes and nationalities. Parable and stories spark interests to whether Jews and Gentiles. This is an element of God’s creativity to reach out to His people.
Applying Tactics:
How can you apply the Columbo method to this topic?
Is it really necessary to use popular culture such as movies,
music or art to spread the gospel?
It depends on the context or how will pop culture elements be
included
in spreading the Gospel.
It depends? So it means you can’t use it for instance
preaching?
Yes, you may not use it. It still up to the speaker or
preacher
if he/she will use or not use pop culture elements.
It might affect the flow of the Spirit in preaching if pop
culture is included.
How did you get that conclusion?
If only preacher would focus on the Word rather than
inserting pop culture elements,
I believe, it’s more effective in spreading the Gospel.
You’re absolutely right that a preacher should focus more on
the Word than entertainment such as pop culture but usage of mentioned form of
media is also
a strategy from speaker/preacher.
There are still other strategies to spread the word of the
Gospel.
Pop culture is part of secular media; don’t you think?
Yes, that’s true. But can you avoid secular media or popular
culture in everyday life?
Nope. Actually, secular music can be listened thru radio.
Aside from that, videos may appear thru social media and sometimes friends may
ask to watch films as form of friendship bonding.
That’s definitely true. Do you think that God limits his
creativity in reaching out
to people?
No.
You’re correct. If we avoid this pop culture and let’s say we
just focus
on Christian-related form of media,
do you think we’ll be able to relate or engage with unbelievers?
No, I
suppose that does make it more interesting.
Identify any suicidal/infanticide
arguments the opponents might use.
If he/she uses claim that using popular culture is
unbiblical, it is an infanticide argument.
According to Ted Newell, avoiding popular culture or secular media disengaged stance or a Christ-of-culture syncretism, Turnau shows how cultural discernment can lead one to a deeper appreciation of the Christian faith and all the way to worship. Then let’s challenge ourselves not to treat popular culture carelessly, but to wrestle with it,
And we must teach this truth to our audience to help them see creativity
and culture not in the darkness of suspicion but in Scripture’s light.
Moreover, as Stephen Burnett said, if he/she cannot allude
to the biblical view of recreation,
or articulate this view, he/she probably ought not talk
about culture or popular culture at all.
What “stone in the
shoe” do you want the person to think about?
God allowed popular culture so that Christians
may engage in society or people in different walks of life. It only proves that
God’s intention is to reach out by using creative means to His people.
Resources: What
resources can help you strengthen your ability to explain the truth about this
matter?
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/article/jesus-pop-culture-attraction/
https://research.lifeway.com/2021/03/31/how-should-christians-be-discipled-to-engage-pop-culture/
https://christianapologeticsalliance.com/2013/01/30/pop-culture-community-apologist/
https://www.thegospelcoalition.org/themelios/review/popologetics-popular-culture-in-christian-perspective/
Usage of popular culture such as movies, music and art can be helpful to present the truth of the gospel as long as it is guided with wisdom and discernment.
3. Usage of popular culture in a church setting such as Sunday service or preaching without proper context might be cringe to certain Christian group
4. If there’s a need to use popular culture, it should only be limited
It’s also a perfect opportunity to relate with others.
But we need to be careful and discerning with media consumption.
As 1 Corinthians 10:23 reminds us, all things are legitimate
but not all things are helpful (expedient, profitable, and wholesome).
Also in popular culture and media consumption, let us be reminded of
“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.” (Philippians 4:8–9).
It certainly includes the ability to create beautiful music, inspiring film,
and other forms of art. Christians should keep this in mind
when consuming media, keeping an eye toward holiness,
yes—and also toward beauty.
William Fahey added that arising from talent given by the Creator and from man’s own effort, art is a form of practical wisdom, uniting knowledge and skill, to give form to the truth of reality in a language accessible to sight or hearing. To the extent that it is inspired by truth and love of beings, art bears a certain likeness to God’s activity in what he has created.
scripture doesn’t speak directly to what elements of pop culture
we should and we should not engage,
because the artifacts of pop culture in ancient times
of the Bible were much different.
Popular culture wasn’t a hindrance in Jesus reaching out to people.
But He reminds His disciples to prepare themselves
whenever they are exposed to the world which includes popular culture.
Jesus said in Matthew 10:16, “I am sending you out like sheep among wolves.
This is not different on how old-fashioned Christians react to using popular culture as a portion of reference to preaching.
and even Christian songs or music,
more common responses of those forms of media are as follows:
boring, only reaching to specific target audience particularly Christian viewers and listeners as well as flawed technical aspects.
Christian forms of art may succeed in protecting the adjective (“Christian”)
but often fail in embodying the artistry of the medium.
Thus, it is imperative not only to recall our moral compass
but also to give some artistic guidance for media recreation or consumption.
who got exposed in popular culture during His time.
These are individuals or people with certain issues
or people in different walks of life. He used parable and stories
so that He can connect with different tribes and nationalities. Parable and stories spark interests to whether Jews and Gentiles. This is an element of God’s creativity to reach out to His people.
if he/she will use or not use pop culture elements.
I believe, it’s more effective in spreading the Gospel.
a strategy from speaker/preacher.
Pop culture is part of secular media; don’t you think?
to people?
on Christian-related form of media,
do you think we’ll be able to relate or engage with unbelievers?
According to Ted Newell, avoiding popular culture or secular media disengaged stance or a Christ-of-culture syncretism, Turnau shows how cultural discernment can lead one to a deeper appreciation of the Christian faith and all the way to worship. Then let’s challenge ourselves not to treat popular culture carelessly, but to wrestle with it,
And we must teach this truth to our audience to help them see creativity
and culture not in the darkness of suspicion but in Scripture’s light.
Moreover, as Stephen Burnett said, if he/she cannot allude
to the biblical view of recreation,
or articulate this view, he/she probably ought not talk
about culture or popular culture at all.
https://speculativefaith.lorehaven.com/christians-please-stop-warning-against-human-popular-culture-until-you-know-what-its-for/
https://www.catholic.com/magazine/print-edition/a-catholic-guide-to-watching-movies
3. Christians please stop warning against human popular culture. https://speculativefaith.lorehaven.com/christians-please-stop-warning-against-human-popular-culture-until-you-know-what-its-for/ November 9, 2017
