It ain’t a secret. I love me some pop culture. I know many shake their head in shame or beat their furrowed brow upon my liberties, but there is a deeper purpose and meaning behind my affinity for pop music, best-selling novels, and blockbuster movies.
As a student of culture, I’ve learned the spiritual temperature and worldview is determined not only by academia, but MTV. Not only in philosophy, but on reality TV. Not only by politicians, but pop stars. As people desperate to influence culture and reappropriate God-given creativity, it is crucial to know what is going on so we can affirm what is right and dismantle what is wrong.
But how can we filter through the pervasive and profane without having it effect or destroy our faith in the process?
“Because we are commanded by God to form and reform culture, Christians have to be actively engaged with culture: studying it, discerning positive and negative aspects, and working to redeem it.” —Dr. Drew Trotter
Pop culture can be an insightful and useful tool in this task, both reflecting and promoting attitudes and ideas we share in common. Some of those attitudes and ideas will be worth promoting ourselves; some will be worth fighting with every weapon at our disposal. If we are to gain the whole world, not for ourselves (Matt. 16:26) but for the King we serve (2 Cor. 10:3-6), then one weapon we shall need is discernment. May God grant us grace to develop that discernment and the desire to grow in His word.
- Where, in culture, have you seen God? What movie, song, or poem has revealed the Divine without slapping a WWJD wristband on or aluminum fish on the back of?
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