Worship, Culture, and Diversity

Don: The fundamental question we have been discussing is: Can God be seen through any lens other than the lens of culture? To get at the answer, we have tried to assess the effect of culture on worship.

We’ve noted the animal tendency to herd and flock together, usually based upon fear. Humans band together two, in tribes and nation-states, and develop culture when they do. But this model is overthrown in the promised new heaven and earth, where lion and lamb lay down together, and where the multitude of tribes and nations speaking their multiplicity of languages and so on become a single flock in the kingdom of heaven, identified by their wearing of a white robe.

Are Mankind’s tribal tendencies a result of the Fall? Is like-mindedness a condition of fallen Man? Might God prefer differentiation and diversity to single-mindedness on earth? What is the influence of worship in this? God prevented the Babelonians from worshiping through building a tower to heaven, by removing their singular language and thus destroying their unity and like-mindedness, causing them to abandon their tower and disperse to the four corners of the earth.

Peter had a dream that God instructed him to eat from a variety of foods considered unclean by the Jews, on the basis that every Wo/Man is different and none is unclean (Acts 10).

Should worship promote diversity? Would this be more authentic worship than we currently tend to practice? It is a radical idea whose adoption by religions and churches would almost certainly have revolutionary impacts.

Scriptural references to like-mindedness include the following:

1. Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse. Rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep. Be of the same mind toward one another; do not be haughty in mind, but associate with the lowly. Do not be wise in your own estimation.  (Romans 12:14-16)

Thus the context is how we relate to—how we act toward—one another, but it is not a call for like-mindedness of belief, of understanding issues, or of doctrine.

2. Now we who are strong ought to bear the weaknesses of those without strength and not just please ourselves. Each of us is to please his neighbor for his good, to his edification. For even Christ did not please Himself; but as it is written, “The reproaches of those who reproached You fell on Me.” For whatever was written in earlier times was written for our instruction, so that through perseverance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope. Now may the God who gives perseverance and encouragement grant you to be of the same mind with one another according to Christ Jesus, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Therefore, accept one another, just as Christ also accepted us to the glory of God.  (Romans 15:1-7)

This confirms that like-mindedness is more a matter of interpersonal relations rather than common belief, as Jesus demonstrated through his own behavior.

3. Finally, brethren, rejoice, be made complete, be comforted, be like-minded, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you. Greet one another with a holy kiss. All the saints greet you.
(2 Corinthians 13:11-13)

Once again, the context for the like-mindedness in this passage is behavior toward one another, not doctrinal—like-minded of practice but not necessarily of belief.

4. Therefore if there is any encouragement in Christ, if there is any consolation of love, if there is any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and compassion, make my joy complete by being of the same mind, maintaining the same love, united in spirit, intent on one purpose. Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. (Philippians 2:1-4)

Like-mindedness is the same love, united in the same spirit. There is a singular purpose of like-mindedness: Selflessness—humility and concern for others rooted in action rather than doctrine or belief.

5. But I hope in the Lord Jesus to send Timothy to you shortly, so that I also may be encouraged when I learn of your condition. For I have no one else of kindred spirit who will genuinely be concerned for your welfare. For they all seek after their own interests, not those of Christ Jesus. (Philippians 2:19-21)

“Kindred spirit” is like-mindedness concerning the care and welfare of others.

6. I urge Euodia and I urge Syntyche to live in harmony in the Lord. Indeed, true companion, I ask you also to help these women who have shared my struggle in the cause of the gospel, together with Clement also and the rest of my fellow workers, whose names are in the book of life. (Philippians 4:2-3)

“In harmony” means like-mindedness, but in the book of life rather than in doctrinal texts.

Like-mindedness in these passages refers to living like Christ. The kingdom principle of flocking is the practice of encouraging Christ-like love. The point of reference should be that when one talks about like-mindedness, about people being like-minded in an intellectual sense, it should be like-minded with Christ, not with one another.

Perhaps the best example can be found in the Parable of the Seed and the Sower (Matthew 13). It shows clearly that the diverse (rocky and hard, weed-choked, soft and fertile, etc.) soils on which the seed is sown represent the diversity of the people who inherit the kingdom of heaven. It is remarkable that a farmer would sow his seed indiscriminately on good soil and bad. Yet this is how God sows. God’s seed is the word of God, which we may take for purposes of our discussion to mean worship since it includes the study and celebration of the word of God.

God’s seed is not wasted, regardless of the soil. That which falls on stony ground is eaten by birds but is later deposited through their feces into a better (i.e., fertilized by the feces) growth environment.

Seek the Lord while He may be found;
Call upon Him while He is near.
Let the wicked forsake his way
And the unrighteous man his thoughts;
And let him return to the Lord,
And He will have compassion on him,
And to our God,
For He will abundantly pardon.
“For My thoughts are not your thoughts,
Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord.
“For as the heavens are higher than the earth,
So are My ways higher than your ways
And My thoughts than your thoughts.
“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth
And making it bear and sprout,
And furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater;
So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth;
It will not return to Me empty,
Without accomplishing what I desire,
And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it.
“For you will go out with joy
And be led forth with peace;
The mountains and the hills will break forth into shouts of joy before you,
And all the trees of the field will clap their hands.
“Instead of the thorn bush the cypress will come up,
And instead of the nettle the myrtle will come up,
And it will be a memorial to the Lord,
For an everlasting sign which will not be cut off.” (Isaiah 55:6-13)

In all this, we see the influence of worship on culture. We see the influence on what happens to the Word depending on where the seed is left. The seed becomes transformational, just like the weeds that spring up in a parking lot over time will transform the parking lot into a field. Isaiah emphasizes the transformational power of the seed: Cypress and myrtle replace nettle and thorns. The Parable of the Seed is not about the soil, but about the seed and its transforming power. The seed is God’s Word, whose elevation through worship transforms culture.

We have two questions today: (1) What are your thoughts on the influence of worship on culture? (2) Should like-mindedness of the kind scripture describes as proactive love and care for one’s neighbor, as opposed to doctrinal ideas, be promoted in worship, and if so, how?

Jazlin: It’s hard to adopt the ways of a different culture, so it’s hard to achieve like-mindedness with people of another culture. If we want them to become like-minded with us, then we have to be transformed in order to get into their culture and accept it. Practice cannot help but be based on beliefs and cultural norms. Jesus gave us the fundamental principles of love and so on, so when asked about my culture I don’t claim to be Indian; rather, I claim to share the culture of Jesus!

Donald: We easily jump from like-mindedness of belief to form exclusive denominations. To be “Christ-minded” is a much bigger concept than what we think of as like-mindedness. He was totally open-minded, but there are limits to our ability to be open-minded.

Michael: I think it’s impossible for two cultures to be like-minded. I agree that like-mindedness of belief is a necessary basis for like-mindedness of action. But if “Christ-mindedness” means helping the poor, or acting humbly, then one might start seeing some intercultural like-mindedness.

David: It seems to me there is prima facie universal like-mindedness about justice, peace, love, compassion, and mercy, at the fundamental (Christ) level. If so, then intercultural worship is easy. Individuals of any culture who share this like-mindedness do worship Jesus, even if they don’t accept him. True cultural differences—in dress, language, etc.—are irrelevant in the context of this type of worship. I see nothing in the life and teaching of Jesus that suggests otherwise. The problem is that religions and churches tend to forget about expressing like-mindedness with Jesus by acting out his attributes of love, peace, compassion, and so on. Churches and religions focus instead on their group cultural uniqueness and identity—on the like-mindedness necessary for club membership.

Jazlin: Everyone—Christian, Moslem, Buddhist, Hindu—shares a belief in those core attributes. Christians naturally turn to Jesus for them, but people of other religions don’t need to get them from Jesus—they are universally inherent to humanity anyway. Jesus encourages us to act on them.

David: A group composed of members of all the main religions could have a discussion about those core attributes and find themselves, I am sure, in complete agreement and like-mindedness. But introduce the names of Jesus, Buddha, Mohammed, etc., and watch the unity disintegrate!

Donald: We are all governed by principles of truth, law, justice, and mercy. How then to explain the recent horrendous gassing of children in Syria? Obviously there is a serious lack of those principles in Syria right now. Are we afraid to examine our consciences?

David: We fail to focus on those core principles. If the people paid, provoked, or propagandized to push the buttons that launch the bombs were to think for a moment about universal and unifying love, compassion, and mercy, they might withdraw their finger. But they don’t, because culture to all intents and purposes forces them to focus on smaller, divisive, cultural principles of group identity. “We need to win this war. We can’t let them and their strange ways rule over us.” So they push the button. They would not, if they were to focus on the core principles exemplified in the life of Jesus, even without reference to him. To non-Christians, Jesus is merely a Christian cultural artifact, as Buddha and Mohammed are merely Buddhist and Islamic cultural artifacts to Christians. Things perceived as cultural artifacts—fairly or unfairly—are divisive and destructive in effect.

Jazlin: Scripture recounts how God ordered the Israelites to wage war on His human enemies. Would such an order justify the gassing of the Syrian children? Even President Trump seemed to think not.

Mikiko: Things will only get worse:

But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power… (2 Timothy 3:1-5)

For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom, and in various places there will be famines and earthquakes. (Matthew 24:7)

A merciful Jehovah must surely be hurting when he sees this, but…

… according to His promise we are looking for new heavens and a new earth, in which righteousness dwells. (2 Peter 3:13)

Michael: It is impossible to be culture-free. Therefore it is impossible to accept everyone. It would thus be naive to hope that religions could put aside their cultural differences and focus instead on the universal core principles.

Don: If culture (including its attendant distinctions) is a condition of Fallen Man and was not part of God’s plan, should one of the end products of true, authentic, worship be acceptance of diversity?

Mikiko: Some culture will persist even after Armageddon. People in the new earth will dance their ethnic dances, though they will all speak a universal language.

Jazlin: There will be a transformation, so something must change!

Jay: We talk about the ideal state of worship and so on, while living in a flawed world where ideal worship is impossible. But grappling with this dilemma makes us more in tune with the ideal. The more we understand the universal principles of ideal worship, the closer we get to it. On this earth, it is not attainable, but it is approachable. It is not realistic to get religions to abandon their cultures, but the more they try to focus on core principles, the closer they will grow to one another. For the individual, it brings joy to life by reducing or removing fear, uncertainty, and doubt. True worship, or the Big W Worship (as we have begun to call the practice of love and compassion and the passing on of grace, etc.) affects culture in this way. God does not say we all have to be the same, except in regard to these. I find that liberating.

Donald: We meet every week to discuss matters of the spirit. Other groups meet to discuss politics and society, or to play cards, or any of a myriad purposes. They are not random gatherings where some purpose is expected simply to emerge. Our purpose has importance and benefit, even given that we might use the time instead to be out feeding the poor.

Don: The issue you raise is the end-product of worship. What is that?

David: The end product is the transformation Jaz talked about. To me, it must involve forgetting about trying to accept different cultures and instead recognizing their irrelevance to core universal principles. In Revelation, all the people destined for the new earth are of all different cultures and dance different dances, as Mikiko said. But they are unified and uniform in one critical thing: The white robe, which I take to be a metaphor for the inner light, the holy spirit, in all of us. On this earth, we cover our white robe in the gaudy cultural fashions of the day, we mask our inner light to prevent its persistent reminder to heed the holy spirit. Then we go and gas little children.

Jazlin: In theory, Adventists worship uniformly throughout the world. But it took the Adventists at the Lowry Memorial School in Bangalore, India, quite some time to accept us, since we have become acculturated in the United States. The core principles of love found their way in eventually, and the cultural difference no longer mattered. The practice of the core principles matters more than the lip service paid to them.

Michael: The transformation needed is of the individual, not of the group or the religion.

Mikiko: Different tribes have different cultures, but all will be united under Jesus.

Jay: Going from lip service to practice requires a personal commitment and transformation that takes time—it doesn’t happen overnight. It needs continuous focus on matters beyond the status quo. True worship stretches the individual beyond his or her culture and into something different. I was essentially born an Adventist—born and raised in a middle-class, white, Adventist family, educated in Adventist schools, and so on. True worship takes me beyond this background to a place where I think about and value things outside of the white, Michigan, middle-class, Adventist me.

David: Jason’s remarks illustrate that (as Michael said) the transformation required is individual, not cultural. God forbid I should advocate that people change their culture—it’s not necessary for true worship. As far as I can tell from scripture, Jesus was more or less blind to culture. It evidently irked him at times but I suspect that was because, despite its irrelevance, it still got in the way of true worship. While it is impossible to live our lives as flawlessly as Jesus lived his we can at least try to approach his standards in some respects—including this one of ignoring culture because it is not relevant in true worship other than as an occasional minor irritant. White Adventists in Farmington do not need to embrace the cultures of black Baptists in inner Flint or brown Moslems in Dearborn.

Chris: But we can’t ignore our own culture. Our culture is the basis for our life.

David: I am not at all advocating to ignore one’s own culture. I am advocating to ignore: (1) the differences we perceive on our various cultures, because they make up the interface where inter-cultural conflict arises; and (2) aspects of our culture that hinder true worship. Our differences are artifacts of the Fall and will be resolved when we are restored to the Garden.

Robin: Everyone thinks his or her culture is superior, and indeed every culture has things worthy of celebration, be it the dress, the dancing, the art, and so on. But when we think that our culture is closer to God—that we worship better—we become prejudices and are in trouble.

Chris: All religions tend to fall into the trap of making their cultural artifacts “necessary” to gain status with God. We forget that culture didn’t exist in the Garden; we forget that Jesus gave us a glimpse of a singular culture (which equates to no culture!) that is to come.

Robin: Jesus loved love, mercy, grace, kindness, and so on—things that transcend culture. Hence he had no problem mingling with cultural outcasts such as thieves and prostitutes.

Don: Jason’s call for pushing beyond our cultural boundaries is worth looking into.

David: I don’t think we need to push ourselves out of our own culture. As others have said today, there’s something to value in all cultures, as well as some things perhaps not to value; but it is our foundation for life and it hard to live without. We simply need to accept other cultures, and we can best do that by ignoring them.

Donald: We have to be careful about claiming to be “God’s peculiar people.”

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