Culture and faith

I enjoy the mystery novels of Tony Hillerman, James D. Doss and others who feature the unique cultures of Native Americans in the American southwest. Often in the stories there's an interplay between Indian religious/philosophical worldviews and that of the prevalent Anglo nominally Christian culture. It is intriguing, and frequently humbling, to glimpse the human condition from another culture's perspective.

The Great Commission Christ issued to his followers calls for disciple-making among all peoples, all ethnicities, all nations and races. This requires of us an appreciation, first of all, of the genuine distinctives in the human family. From my faith heritage, we are all made in God's image, yet the unique expressions of humanity are 6 billion and counting! Our diverse cultures are important. They help define us as persons, they contribute to our sense of self, they lend to us a place of belonging.

Culture and religious faith, naturally, are often interwoven. Evidently it is challenging for some, at times, to differentiate between, say, the gospel and 'the American way of life.' Yet the follower of Jesus recognizes that his gospel of love, truth, self-giving, and redemptive compassion urges us to relate beyond our immediate culture, to seek common cause with all who work for peace and justice, to find enjoyment and inspiration from approaches to life much different from our own.