The Dangers of Conservative Cultural Christianity

A distorted Gospel that sounds good...

Cultural Christianity is not just a thing among political conservatives. It’s also prominent among liberals. Cultural Christianity looks very different depending on the group (conservative/liberal) although, they have similar problems.

Lord willing, I plan to write another article on the dangers of cultural Christianity among progressives. However, I’m starting with conservatives because that’s the group I’m most familiar with and because political conservatives likely make up the majority who read what I write here.

I think starting in my backyard and working out from there is better.

What is Cultural Christianity… Broadly Speaking?

Cultural Christianity is primarily concerned about culture and its impact on society.

The primary blessing of cultural Christianity has to do with culture, society, and laws. Cultural Christianity could be described simply as seeking to order a nation, a state, or a community according to basic Christian [or biblical] principles of right and wrong. - Cultural Christianity Is About Culture by Ben C. Dunson in the American Reformer

Well-known atheist Richard Dawkins said he was a “cultural Christian” in 2007, and again in 2024.

"I'm not one of those who wants to stop Christian traditions… This (the UK) is historically a Christian country. I'm a cultural Christian in the same way many of my friends call themselves cultural Jews or cultural Muslims… So, yes, I like singing carols along with everybody else. I'm not one of those who wants to purge our society of our Christian history.” - BBC News

In explaining “cultural Christianity,” Niall Gooch wrote the following:

“Cultural Christian” usually means someone who values the civilizational, artistic, and moral benefits of Christianity, but is skeptical or ambivalent about its specific teachings. Clement Attlee famously said that he respected the ethics of Christianity but not “the mumbo-jumbo.” - We need more cultural Christians like Richard Dawkins by Niall Gooch in the UnHerd

Cultural Christianity looks at the impact Christianity has historically had on society, and says, “Look, we don’t need to completely erase Christian values from society because some of it’s good, and it’s embedded within our culture. To overthrow all Christian values is to destroy the bedrock of our society.”

However, Cultural Christianity cares little about specific teachings of Christianity - even if those teachings and truths are foundational.

Wes McAdams wrote a good overview of cultural Christianity, which you can read here:

What is Cultural Christianity and What are the Dangers?

What Does Cultural Christianity Look Like Among Conservatives?

While cultural Christianity does exist among progressives, this article focuses on Conservative Cultural Christianity. So, what is that?

Conservative Cultural Christians embrace a secular vision of Christian values—tradition, conventional families, and small government… true believers tend to be drawn to the idea that the faith exists strictly as a rejection of liberal cultural hegemony; that whenever they turn on the television, a Taylor Swift or LeBron James is telling them how to vote or a transgender influencer like Dylan Mulvaney is advertising their all-American beer. - The “Cultural Christians” Are Taking Over the Conservative Movement by Elle Hardy in The New Republic

Conservative Cultural Christianity is a combination of conservative political principles and certain biblical principles and truths. It stands opposed to “woke, liberal” ideas and attempts to change culture to fit “woke ideology.”

The Example of Elon Musk

Elon Musk sat down for an interview with Dr. Jordan Peterson on July 22, 2024. He had several things to say that tie into our exploration of “Cultural Christianity,” especially as it looks among conservatives.

When asked about his religion, Musk replied, “While I’m not a particularly religious person, I do believe that the teachings of Jesus are good and wise.” As an example, Musk referred to the wisdom in what Jesus said about turning the other cheek.

Musk later referred to his “religion” as being the “religion of curiosity, or the religion of enlightenment.”

Musk would go on to say, “I’m actually a big believer in the principles of Christianity, I think they’re very good.” A few moments later, he admitted to Jordan Peterson that he is “probably a Cultural Christian.”

In the interview, Jordan Peterson brought up Richard Dawkins’ announcement about being a Cultural Christian. Peterson mentioned how Dawkins preferred societies built on Christian principles, and Musk agreed with that statement.

With his current role in President Trump’s administration, there is no question that Elon Musk has become one of the faces of “Conservative Cultural Christianity” in the United States of America.

Two Reasons Conservative Cultural Christianity is Dangerous.

I do appreciate efforts to bring biblical principles and morals back into our culture and communities. I’d prefer to live in a society where Christian principles were more embraced rather than less embraced… and I imagine this is probably true for most of us.

However, I believe Conservative Cultural Christianity presents several dangers that far outweigh any potential benefits for our culture.

The Hypocrisy on Moral Standards

I came across this post by Ben Shapiro, who is not a Christian, and would not claim to be… he’s Jewish. But he is certainly a conservative and someone who advocates for biblical principles and morals to have a place in our culture.

Ben Shapiro posted something about Andrew Tate - a Muslim - that highlights one of the dangers of Conservative Cultural Christianity.

Screen capture by the author from Facebook.

In other words, Andrew Tate’s words and actions are inconsistent with biblical, traditional, and American values. Therefore, the Right should stop following and listening to him.

But at this very moment, Elon Musk is being held up as a great champion of those with biblical, traditional, and American values - even though he is the father of thirteen children with four different women.

And when has the Right ever asked “hard questions” about President Trump’s behavior and beliefs? Instead, they have helped him “rewrite his past as he revels in the precise kinds of evils conservatives hate (supposedly).”

The Conservative Cultural Christianity movement believes the end justifies the means, and so, they are willing to fully support Musk and Trump because they are helping them get the cultural changes they want, while they are fine dumping Andrew Tate because he wasn’t helping them anyway.

This sort of hypocrisy on biblical and Christian morals undermines the very thing Conservative Cultural Christians claim to care so much about.

It distorts the Gospel and empties the faith of its power

Paul addressed the churches of Galatia about what some were teaching them, and what they were believing.

I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting him who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different Gospel— not that there is another one, but there are some who trouble you and want to distort the Gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should preach to you a Gospel contrary to the one we preached to you, let him be accursed. As we have said before, so now I say again: If anyone is preaching to you a Gospel contrary to the one you received, let him be accursed. (Galatians 1:6-9 - ESV)

There is a Divine curse upon those who preach “a Gospel contrary” to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Conservative Cultural Christians believe and promote a “distorted” version of Christianity - a perverted Gospel.

For example, as I mentioned earlier, Elon Musk says he believes in “the principles of Christianity” and thinks the teachings of Jesus are “good and wise.” Another “cultural Christian” I mentioned earlier - Richard Dawkins - said “Jesus was a good man” but that if Jesus “had the knowledge we have today, he probably would have been an atheist, and he probably would have been a good man.”

Cultural Christianity denies Jesus is anything more than a “good man” and a “wise teacher.”

This is Miles Away From the Truth of the Gospel…

The Gospel, as taught by Paul and the other apostles, was that “Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the Scriptures” (1 Corinthians 15:3-4). Then, His resurrection was witnessed by over 500 people on multiple occasions (1 Corinthians 15:5-8).

The resurrection of Jesus is central to Christianity - to the Gospel of Christ.

Now if Christ is proclaimed as raised from the dead, how can some of you say that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there is no resurrection of the dead, then not even Christ has been raised.

And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain. We are even found to be misrepresenting God, because we testified about God that he raised Christ, whom he did not raise if it is true that the dead are not raised.

For if the dead are not raised, not even Christ has been raised. And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins. Then those also who have fallen asleep in Christ have perished.

If in Christ we have hope in this life only, we are of all people most to be pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:12-19)

Notice:

• “If Christ is not raised… your faith is in vain.”

• “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile and you are still in your sins.”

• “If Christ has not been raised… we (Christians) are of all people most to be pitied.”

As Paul began his letter to the Christians in Rome, he placed Jesus at the center of the Gospel of God.

Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the Gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, (Romans 1:1-4)

The “Gospel of God” concerns or “is all about” His Son Jesus. He is both the Son of David (human) and the Son of God (deity). Who Jesus is, what He has done, and what He offers to us is central to the Gospel of Christ and Christianity.

Cultural Christianity - even the conservative flavor of it - denies this to be true and removes Jesus from the center and foundation of Christianity.

It is a perverted, hopeless Gospel.

Should Christians Care About the Culture?

The prophet Jeremiah wrote to the Jews who had been taken captive by Babylon (Jeremiah 29:1). In a foreign, pagan culture, here’s one of the things God’s people were told to do:

…seek the peace of the city where I have caused you to be carried away captive, and pray to the LORD for it; for in its peace you will have peace. (Jeremiah 29:7)

While we are “sojourners and pilgrims” on this earth (1 Peter 2:11) whose “home country is in heaven” (Philippians 3:20), we presently live in communities and nations. It is good and right for us to seek and work for the good of the places where we live.

How then, should we go about impacting our culture for good?

I believe the problem with the Conservative Cultural Christian movement is they try to promote certain biblical and Christian principles in society while rejecting the Gospel of Christ as “mumbo-jumbo” and unnecessary to impact culture with Christian principles. They make changing the culture the “end-all, be-all.”

However, a changed culture is a side effect of the Gospel of Jesus being proclaimed, believed, and obeyed. Let’s notice what happened to the culture in the city of Ephesus.

The Example of Ephesus...

Paul arrived in Ephesus and proclaimed the truth of Jesus Christ and the “things of the kingdom of God” (Acts 19:1-8). Although some stubbornly rejected the Gospel, Paul continued teaching for two years and the word of the Lord Jesus spread throughout the whole region (Acts 19:9-10).

God worked many mighty and “unusual miracles” through Paul to confirm the truth of the Gospel of Christ, and the result was “the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified” (Acts 19:11-17). Many who believed what Paul was teaching about the Lord Jesus Christ “came confessing and telling their deeds” (Acts 19:18). Many who practiced soothsaying and other mystical beliefs quit such behavior, burning many valuable books (Acts 19:19). The Lord’s word continued to grow mightily and prevailed.

Would you say the culture was changing in Ephesus? Many people in the city were turning to Jesus and away from their former sinful practices.

In fact, so many people turned to Jesus, it got the attention of the town’s silversmiths, whose business depended upon the practice of idolatry.

And about that time there arose a great commotion about the Way. For a certain man named Demetrius, a silversmith, who made silver shrines of Diana, brought no small profit to the craftsmen. He called them together with the workers of similar occupation, and said: "Men, you know that we have our prosperity by this trade. Moreover you see and hear that not only at Ephesus, but throughout almost all Asia, this Paul has persuaded and turned away many people, saying that they are not gods which are made with hands. So not only is this trade of ours in danger of falling into disrepute, but also the temple of the great goddess Diana may be despised and her magnificence destroyed, whom all Asia and the world worship." (Acts 19:23-27)

So many people had turned away from idol gods that it was threatening the prosperity of businesses that depended on idolatry to make money.

How did such a drastic change in Ephesus’ culture happen in just a few years (Acts 20:31)?

• Paul “went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months, reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God” (Acts 19:8).

• Paul reasoned daily “for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks” (Acts 19:10).

• God’s power was seen and “the name of the Lord Jesus was magnified” (Acts 19:17).

• As many turned from their sins, “the word of the Lord grew mightily and prevailed” (Acts 19:20).

Would you say the decline of idolatry and a massive turning away from the “dark arts” was a cultural change? I think so.

What brought about such a change?

The proclamation of the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is being believed and obeyed by people in Ephesus…

Christians should be cautious about jumping on board with the Conservative Cultural-Christian movement. While there will be some things we agree on, there is a drastic difference that cannot be excused or overlooked. Many leaders of this movement do not believe what the Scriptures say about Jesus. They reject the Gospel of Christ for their own distorted “Gospel.”

Beware of those who claim to be “Christians,” but who believe Jesus was merely a “good man” and a “wise teacher.”

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