Why Culture Matters

Published by ConsultEd Publishing

53 Griffin Road, R.D. 1

Tauranga, New Zealand

© 2009 John Norsworthy

ISBN 978-0-473-15764-7

Typesetting:

Andrew Killick

Castle Publishing Services

Cover design:

Andrew Killick & Yolan Iskandar

Wentforth Design and Print

Digitally printing in New Zealand

by Wentforth Design and Print

Unless otherwise stated, scriptures are taken from the HOLY BIBLE,

NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®. NIV®.

Copyright© 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society.

Used by permission of Zondervan. All rights reserved.

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED

No part of this publication may be reproduced,

stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted

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without prior written permission from the author [or publisher].

I warmly commend this book as a serious introduction to the strate­gic place of culture in Christian life and service. Its helpful surveys of the way culture functions in Scripture, in the early Christian community and in the historic phases of Christianity lay a solid foundation for wise practical guidance on addressing cultural issues and challenges in our diverse multicultural contexts of the 21st Century.

John Hitchen BA, BD, PhD (Senior lecturer in Mission, Laidlaw College, Auckland, formerly Principal, Bible College of New Zealand, and Christian Leaders’ Training College of Papua New Guinea)

A much needed skill in communicating with today’s global com­munity is an awareness and appreciation of various cultures. This book is an easy to read primer on Christianity and culture. It can add value to the person seeking to develop in this area. The chap­ter on “The Contemporary Global Challenge” is a must read for Christian leaders in New Zealand facing fast emerging multicul­tural congregations.

Andrew Kulasingham (Deputy Principal, Faith Bible College, New Zealand)

Culture is like water to a fish: it surrounds, supports and gives life but is hard to see. In this book John Norsworthy helps us under­stand culture and how it imposes its unquestioned values upon us. Furthermore this book describes the unique work of Christ in cul­ture and how Christ transcends all man’s attempts to define meaning and purpose in life. I commend this very timely and readable work to any student of culture and faith.

Rev. Craig Vernall (Senior Minister, Bethlehem Baptist Church, Tauranga, New Zealand)

May I recommend this well written and readable book to you. It invites you to consider a Biblical approach to understanding cul­tures, since creation to the present day. It traces man’s responses to the will of a Holy God, and the context and relevance of the times and places in which we find ourselves. John Norsworthy, an expe­rienced educator, raises some fundamental questions and suggests sensible solutions for us in this new century with its multicultural environment. This book will be most helpful to students interested in the development of “culture” through a Biblical, Christ-centred lens, and a useful resource for teachers in various contexts.

Graham C Preston (Founder and Ambassador of Christian Education Trust (CET), formerly Principal of Bethlehem College)

Contents

Preface 9

Describing culture 11

CULTURE IN THE OLD TESTAMENT 21

The beginnings of culture 23

Using cultural practices to reveal deeper truth 29

Missing the heart of their God-given culture 37

CULTURE IN THE NEW TESTAMENT 43

The life of Christ and culture 45

The cultural theme of the Book of Acts 53

Cultural freedom and choices in the teaching of Paul 63

The importance of cultural forms 69

Church culture in the New Testament 81

Connecting with the thinking of a Gentile culture 87

CULTURE IN CHURCH HISTORY 93

Christianity in the Roman Empire and Middle Ages 95

The power and vulnerability of the Kingdom 105

Reforming the culture 113

Culture and the modern missionary movement 119

CULTURE IN TODAY’S WORLD 125

Effecting cultural change in the contemporary world 127

Multiculturalism and biculturalism 143

The contemporary global challenge 155

CULTURE FOR ETERNITY 163

The ultimate glorious unity in diversity 165

References 169

John Norsworthy has had 40 years experience as a school teacher, pas­tor, educational administrator, and Bible college lecturer. He is currently the Secretary to the Executive of the New Zealand Association for Christian Schools and an adjunct lecturer with Faith Bible College, Tauranga, New Zealand.

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