In the third of his six-part series on grace and truth, General Director Joel Edwards talks about ways evangelicals try to engage with contemporary culture and often end up doing more harm than good...
Previously, you spoke about the current cultural landscape. How do you feel we have failed to properly engage with society?
As I said, we now live in what is essentially a post-Christian society. By that I mean that even though our heritage has been shaped by Christian values, a lot of public thinking and discussion seeks to marginalise any current Christian voices. As a result, our influence in shaping public morality is not as strong as it once was. This presents us with new challenges. We get into troubles when we fail to face up to the reality of our new status.
What sort of troubles?
Well, because we feel attacked, some of us have gone to war - culture war. A culture war is typified by antagonism: fighting the culture, always resisting, always being against things. In much popular opinion, evangelicals are as welcome as undertakers at a birthday party. There is a perception that we are always out to spoil the fun.
For example?
The obvious example is Jerry Springer: The Opera, a theatre production that received critical acclaim, but which was also offensive to many, especially Christians. Then the state-funded BBC decided to broadcast it, resulting in a huge and highly vocal protest from some Christians. In many ways I was concerned at our response, because I was hearing voices saying, “We’re going to show them. The Muslims have flexed their muscles, the Hindus stopped the play in Birmingham, now it’s our turn.” I can’t tell you how many reporters rang me about Jerry and said, “Rev Edwards, is this a new day for evangelical fundamentalism?” The press and public were seeing anger, hostility and aggression. Nobody was seeing any grace. I was left asking: “Has this episode done the perception of the Gospel any favours?” I’m not sure it did.
You are talking about a blasphemous piece of theatre. Surely we have to stand up and say no to something so offensive to our faith.
I am not saying we should not comment or even actively protest. Our recent Faith and Nation report is very clear that strident protest – even peaceful civil disobedience – sometimes has its place. What I am saying is that we have to think very carefully about how we comment and protest. To begin with, we have to be more media savvy. The media love conflict; conflict is drama; drama sells papers. Too often we play right into their hands with our antics, further feeding their caricature of the “evangelical Christian”. Second, every time we speak we have to do so from love and with love, from grace and with grace. Anger and aggression simply have no place in our protest. Anguish and compassion do.
How could we take a more positive approach?
A better way was exemplified by our protest surrounding the Racial and Religious Hatred Bill. Christians formed a broad coalition with many others and stood up against a piece of legislation, exercising Christian citizenship. We worked behind the scenes in a measured but assertive way and we won. A piece of legislation that was potentially damaging to the preaching of the Gospel was defeated.
So how would you apply that to a future Jerry-type scenario?
I feel that behind-the-scenes diplomacy is usually effective in getting things done. On its own, strident protest (particularly if it is ugly or aggressive) can just end up communicating to the outside world that Christians are insecure about their position in society, that their God cannot fight His own battles and that they are defined by what they are opposed to – be that Jerry Springer or gay marriage.
We need to stop using so much energy telling the darkness how dark it is and use a little more to create some light. Jerry Springer examined the more depraved sides of human nature and was, unsurprisingly, offensive to us. It treated our God with no respect whatsoever. But whether we like it or not, it was also entertaining to a lot of people. It made them laugh and it made them think.
So let’s have Christian writers and performers creating work that celebrates the good, the wholesome and the divine. Not work which is twee, cheesy and unrealistically optimistic, but gutsy, truthful work with hope and love at its heart. Bach managed it with music and was arguably the greatest composer who ever lived. Where are the modern day equivalents in all the art forms?
Let’s support those in our congregations who work in these difficult industries, because we recognise the huge influence that arts and media have on our culture. Let’s produce some light and produce it in works of art that are more entertaining, more thought-provoking and funnier than Jerry ever was.
More carrot than stick then?
Yes. Let’s be typified by grace rather than militancy and aggression. Let’s be a bit more secure in the power of the Gospel. Let’s be a little less obsessed with being defenders of the faith, to the extent that we actually end up as offenders for the faith.
Let’s put greater imagination into lifting up Jesus than putting down Jerry.
