"Culture Making" (Andy Crouch, expanded edition)

TITLE: Culture Making: Recovering Our Creative Calling
AUTHOR: Andy Crouch
PUBLISHER: Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2023, (320 pages).

Culture wars are nothing new. Whether outside or inside, there are different cultures that exist in many places. Organizations too possess a mixture of different cultures within themselves. In many Christian circles, one of the key catchphrases to depict our Christian witness was "cultural engagement." This is a strategy of bringing the gospel to the places where ordinary people are found. What actually is "cultural engagement?" The two extremes of cultural assimilation and cultural rejection are non-starters. Many might think that the solution lies somewhere between the two. Author Andy Crouch gives us a paradigm-shifting perspective to argue for creative culture-making.  This necessitates the introduction of "new vocabulary, a new story, and a new set of questions." Part One is an attempt to understand cultural vocabulary from a sociological perspective. This is essential because culture often means different things to different people. Crouch takes us through a historical survey of how culture changes with a particular focus on the interactions between Christianity and culture. One of the most intriguing discussions happened to be the way he interacts with the various methods of dealing with culture. He makes a distinction between "gestures and postures," the former a mere somewhat passive acknowledgment of the method compared to the latter which is a more active, default, or conscientious attitude. 

• Condemning Culture: "Fundamentalist Withdrawal"
• Critiquing Culture: "Evangelical Engagement"
• Copying Culture: with a focus on "Jesus Movement and CCM"
• Consuming Culture: "Evangelism's Present Tense"

He critiques each of these approaches and warns about the temptation to move from "gestures" to "postures." He understands the separatist condemnation mindset but urges openness toward the beauty and possibilities of culture. He acknowledges the need to critique but reminds us about the advantages of participation and enjoyment. He notes that copying can lead to undesired consequences. On consumption, he points out the importance of discernment. He then introduces us to the postures of cultivation and creation by using the metaphors of artists and gardeners. In Part Two, he weaves in the gospel story as a witness to culture. Going back to the Genesis story, he shows us how culture reflects human beings in the world. In particular, he asserts that humans are made to be creative. Sadly, the entry of sin also results in negative consequences. Surveying the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, we are given a bird's eye view of God's calling for humans to be like Jesus, the culture maker. Part Three looks at the Calling for us. 

My Thoughts

Let me give three thoughts about this book. First, the technological impact on culture. As an avid technologist, I applaud Crouch's frequent engagement with technological issues. In particular, his take on technological changes contrasts sharply with artistry longevity. Indeed, he alludes to Stewart Brand's insight about the inverse relationship between "speed of change" and "long-term impact." This reminds me of how technology seems to obsolete itself over time. If cultural changes were to be directly tied to technology, wouldn't society be constantly in the throes of obsolescence? Using the example of the iPhone, Crouch observes that while it has revolutionized society at large, it has taken on a life of its own, totally different from the intent of Steve Jobs's vision. 

Second, I like Crouch's positive engagement toward culture in general. When this book was first released in 2008, it was a breath of freshness to help us navigate an increasingly multicultural, pluralistic, and increasingly sophisticated environment. Even after 15 years, this second edition is still fresh and relevant. With the help of Richard Niebuhr's classic typologies in "Christ and Culture," he summarizes the four different ways Christians have dealt with culture and proposes a forward-looking approach. That is a commendable effort indeed. Some might even see Crouch's material as an update to Niebuhr's thinking as the world has since changed. Interestingly, he tries to disarm us from adopting the attitude of trying to change the world but to recognize our helplessness. Just like how the Israelites were powerless against Egypt, how the nations of Israel and Judah were powerless against the Assyrians, Babylonians, the Persians, and how the Early Church was powerless against Roman persecutors, Crouch gently guides us away from using our own wisdom and strength to change the world. 

Finally, this book shines hope for us to find and live out our calling. We are not called the change the world, but to be a part of change in creating culture. We are not called to take the powers of the world but to live in a manner that enables the world to see the Power of God. Service and Stewardship ought to be the guiding principles in a world of hierarchy and politics. Together with other reminders about community and grace, we should all take heed of Crouch's exhortation. 

In summary, we are not called to change but to be witnesses for God to change the world. We should engage culture in a way that is in line with our calling. Through this lens, all the cultural typologies mentioned by Niebuhr and Crouch should not be dismissed but considered with discerning the way to create a path forward. The gospel story is a powerful alternative to the lenses of world cultures, and Crouch has given us a wonderful book to describe that. 

Andy Crouch (MDiv, Boston University School of Theology) is a partner for theology and culture at Praxis, an organization that works as a creative engine for redemptive entrepreneurship, and he is the author of The Tech-Wise Family, Strong and Weak, Playing God, and Culture Making. Andy serves on the governing boards of Fuller Theological Seminary, the Council for Christian Colleges and Universities, and InterVarsity Christian Fellowship. For more than ten years he was an editor and producer at Christianity Today, including serving as executive editor from 2012 to 2016. He lives with his family in Pennsylvania.

Rating: 4.5 stars out of 5.

conrade

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This book has been provided courtesy of InterVarsity Press via NetGalley without requiring a positive review. All opinions offered above are mine unless otherwise stated or implied.