The gospel. I hear this word nearly every day as a seminary student. But wait, what is the gospel? I am asked that seemingly simple question and am left with a deer-caught-in-the-headlights expression and scrambled mind. Uhh…I should have a succinct, orthodox answer for that by now, right? Maybe it should be who is the gospel. I believe that Jesus, the son of God, as the crucified and risen Lord is the necessary apex. But is it sufficient to say that if you know who Jesus Christ is, then you know the gospel in and of its entirety? What about love and beauty, worship and art? Do these things fall under the umbrella of the gospel? I believe they can and do, but that’s just me.
So what role does culture play? Is the gospel a part of–or apart from– culture? I don’t want the gospel to be some abstract idea that I dance around, or am studying so closely that I miss the gospel for the theologies. (Get it…?) I want it, essentially, to be evident in and through my life. Ideally, our lives should paint a picture of the gospel. Do we need to disentangle ourselves from culture in order to embrace the gospel? Or do we need to embrace culture in light of the gospel? Does culture reflect the gospel, deflect the gospel, or both?
Thank the good Lord these issues will be addressed and explored on October 18th for the New Wine, New Wineskins Autumn workshop led by Dr. Metzger and Dr. Harper, as well as at the New Wine Benefit Dinner on November 6th. This is what New Wine is about: getting to the heart of these issues, and wrestling with how to live this gospel out in tangible, contextual ways. We comprise culture. And hopefully our lives, in community, exhibit Christ. So how do the two- gospel and culture- work together for his glory? In my opinion, that’s when it gets good. These are not simple questions. And, because the gospel is so profound and beautiful, it doesn’t not warrant a quick, simple answer. This would only limit Christ’s love, and show a lacking gospel.
The gospel is good news. But how do we show that to, for instance, a co-worker who is “just fine, thank-you-very-much”? What is so compelling about the gospel? Are we fanning the flame of this little light of ours, by engaging culture and issues (which, essentially is people) or are we cupping it with our hands, fearful that this light might wake up the neighbors, or be extinguished by the issues of today?
The workshop will provide an excellent time to explore these questions, but until then, what do you think? What is the gospel to you, and what relationship do you think gospel has, or should have, with culture?