jesus class

Christians as counter culture

the amish and mennonites represent groups that maintain distinct lifestyles and values, often diverging from mainstream society. They emphasize simplicity, community, and a strong commitment to their faith.

saint Augustine of hippo

responsible for the mainstream christian response to faith and culture

Christianity exists in a mutual relationship
with culture

Christianity had an impact on its surrounding culture, which in turn molded
Christianity

O’hear’s definition of culture

Culture comprises those aspects of
human activity which are socially rather than genetically transmitted.

culture as defined by sociologists

Culture is thus a general term for
the symbolic and learned aspects of human
society

culture as knowledge

a conception that
identifies culture with the accumulation of
information which need not be shared

culture as a cluster of norms and instituions

a view
that identifies culture with group structure

culture as constructed reality

a position that
identifies culture with conceptual structures within
which people construct their world assuming it to be
shared by other members of a group

dominant culture

‘one whose values, language, and ways of
behaving are imposed on a subordinate culture or cultures through
economic or political power’

subculture

‘a local or specialiazed culture embedded in a larger
culture’

counter culture

‘When subcultures specifically stand in direct
opposition to the dominant culture of the society

pop culture

‘sometimes also called mass culture, is far more
widespread and accessible to everyone

christ against culture

rejecting ‘sinful culture:
resistance to cultural influence - christ and culture should remain seperate

christ of culture

culture inherently good: no
opposition: Christ fulfils highest ideals of culture

christ above culture

unity and disunity: culture good
but needs revelation to perfect it: Christ perfects culture
(rather than replaces it)

christ and culture paradox

interaction between the two
but tension: Christians part of two Kingdoms (world
and God’s): struggle between authority of world and
God

christ transforming culture

corrupted by sin but
seeking to convert culture: hope that culture can be
transformed : work to reform

the first quest for the historical jesus

aiming to analyse the Gospel
accounts separating them out from later doctrinal developments i.e. developments in
Christian faith reflected onto Gospel texts

second quest

argue that gospels are theological but do
contain historical details to reconstruct information about Jesus - criteria of embarrassment and criterion of dissimilarity

criteria of embarassment

unlikely to be made up by early
Christians

criteria of dissimilarity

statement of Jesus genuine if no
parallels in Judaism of the time

canonical christian sources

the new testament - the writings of st paul and the gospels

non-canonical christian sources

gospels that are not included in the new testament

the gospel of mark

the first gospel to be written

the gospels of matthew and luke

very similar to the gospel of mark

gospel of john

last to be written, 90% unique

catacombs

contain early christian art depicting the resurection of the dead

Chi-Ro

early christian symbol, first two greek letters of christ

alpha and omega

beginning and end of the greek alphabet

anchor

early christian symbol of hope and safety