Considering Culture (7)

Posted by Paul | Filed under uncategorised

Right, where are we on the culture seminar write-up?

So far we attempted to do a whirlwind tour of the biblical story to see how culture fits in. Essentially coming down to it being an integral part of creation and God’s Mission being to save and re-create all of creation, including culture.

Where does this get us? How should we then act?

Lets go back and look at two key parts of the story that we missed out the first time around — Resurrection and the Church.

Amongst the many things that the Resurrection of Jesus points to, a significant one is that New Creation starts now. This links in with the now-and-not-yet of Paul’s theology (I guess it is the basis of it, in fact). God’s kingdom has both come and is coming; with Jesus’ resurrection new creation has broken in on the old and the transformation has begun, but we wait for the all-encompassing re-creation at a future time.

I love the way this already-started theme comes into the New Testement, so although it is not strictly necessary lets mention a couple here:

As Tom Wright emphasises, John weaves this theme into his gospel: He emphasises that Jesus’ resurrection occurs on ‘the first day of the week’ (nudge-nudge, remember what happened in that week in Genesis?); and Mary mistakes Jesus for the gardener (geddit? the one who is commissioned with stewarding the garden).

There is also the famous quote from Corinthians ‘If any man is in Christ — New Creation!’ Not, as we usually restrict it — he is a new creation (perhaps some dualism creeping in with that translation?) Us being in Christ is indicative of the bigger picture. And not a future picture but something that can be described with a present tense.

But if, in some sense, new creation starts now, what are the implications? What do we do as the church in response?

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Permalink | January 12th, 2008

3 Responses to “Considering Culture (7)”

  1. Steven Carr Says:
    Steven Carr January 13th, 2008 at 8:57 am

    I’m sorry, but you misunderstand Wright.

    There are no references to Genesis in the resurrection stories.

    Read Wright on the resurrection

    ‘First, we note the strange silence of the Bible in the stories. Up to this point, all four evangelists have drawn heavily upon biblical quotation, allusion and echo. But the resurrection narratives are almost entirely innocent of them. ‘

    The resurrection stories are almost entirely innocent of biblical quotations, allusions and echos.

    So I have no idea where on earth you got those echoes of Genesis from.

    Certainly not from Wright.

    Unless Wright says different things to different audiences.

  2. Paul Says:
    Paul January 13th, 2008 at 2:48 pm

    Hi Steven,

    I guess you need to keep an eye on the ‘almost’ in that quote. Amongst other places, he talks about the allusions in Resurrection of the Son of God — and only a few pages after he says something similar to your quote.

  3. Steven Carr Says:
    Steven Carr January 13th, 2008 at 2:52 pm

    What does ‘almost entirely innocent’ mean then?

    That there are lots of references to Genesis, Psalms 42 and 43 etc?

    Or is Wright just sticking in weasel words…. so he can weasel out of what he says?

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