He says:
But on the night of the Academy Awards, I find myself realizing that I am not much like Schaeffer in one respect: I ignore much of popular culture. I don't attend movies. (Of course, I don't watch television.) I have perhaps seen three movies in the past decade. They repulse me, by and large; and I have better things to do. This was not the case in the 70s and 80s. I would often attend films, try to discern their worldview, reflection on how they were shaping the culture, and try to give a Christian response--just as Schaeffer did. But in the late 1980s something radically changed. North American films became horribly garish and offensive, by and large. My wife and I stopped attending.
It is true that theater culture is diminishing. Miniaturization strikes again. We have "the home theater." Many people watch films on DVDs at home. They subscribe to NetFlicks, and so on. My wife watches very old movies she tapes off of TV. I don't. That's it.
Have I betrayed my mentor, or has culture changed so radically that abstention is better than interaction? I honestly don't know. Sometimes after rereading a Schaeffer book, I want to view a film just to analyze its worldview commitments and understand what many people are exposing themselves to on a regular basis. Then again, I remember all the unread books, the music to listen to, the bike rides to take, and so on.
3 comments:
Z- Interesting note from Groothuis. I personally have not enjoyed much of his writings because of his stance on culture. I recently blogged (Intro: Who's Afraid of Postmodernism) about various ways Christian approach culture (ala Niebuhr's types in Christ and Culture). Personally, I'm concerned Groothuis and a number of others - like the Biola school ( Moreland, Craig, et al), Grudem, Carson (not to say the exegesis of Carson or some of the theology of Grudem isn’t stellar) - are not involved in substantial engagement with culture (or the philosophy that drives it) and when I read them they appear to be reacting against straw men and perceived threats more often than not. That's not to say I don't respect those fellas a lot (as I said before), but their method/model of cultural engagement leaves me substantially lacking.
I hear Groothuis's concern about the "depravity on display" in various forms of entertainment media that cause him to turn away, however I wonder how different that is from the same “depravity on display” in the rest of our world (news media and other outlets where we can see them)[Side Note: Maybe that just means we should pull back even more]? I also wonder how different this stuff is than some of the scenes from the OT I read concerning brutality, sexual deviancy, and idolatry (I know this is a whole other can of worms for many)? I say that with a grain of salt and hopefully some charity recognizing: "We all draw the line somewhere..." Still I have difficulty detaching, as some do, yet still remaining engaged in the lives of those who do not yet know Christ (inhabiting the same thought world they do so I can be – radically the same & radically different simultaneously). Finally, I think a holistic (and I should also say Reformed to my buddy at Covenant!) picture of God's work in salvation-history: Creation, Fall, Redemption, Recreation - with Mission as the "act" we are currently situated in between the “already” and “not yet” - forces my hand (so to speak) to say "this is my Father's world" BOTH essentially good & essentially estranged (at the same time) and in need of redemption - holistically. My motivation for all cultural engagement flows out of that narrative/worldview (looking for common grace, and challenging depravity). Anyway, lots of words to say I think Groothuis and others take a way too negative view of culture - while McLaren and other tend toward taking a way too positive role. IMHO guys like Kevin Vanhoozer & James KA Smith seem to have the theological sensibilities to "walk the line" of essentially good & essentially estranged in light of the Story of God (of course they each have quirks as well, but they seem to me close to present day Schaffer’s than Groothuis/Moreland/Carson/Grudem).
Good word Josh. My take.... Groothuis is a great guy, but he is, in an unhealthy sense, way out of touch with culture. I personally think he doesn't like media today because he just doesn't get it. We recently ran a video under a song we did in services and I had several boomers talk about how distracting and confusing the video was. I also had many who were more post-modern minded who thought it was fantastic and very meaningful. What was the difference? It's probably an issue of epitsomology. In other words guys like Groothuis process information differently and look at todays media only seeing things as confusing and immoral. I could point Groothuis to lots of movies that uphold moral qualities while also telling moving stories, but it probably wouldn't matter. He still wouldn't get it.
Anyway Zach. You live in the gray about as much as anyone I know, so I'm not sure why you didn't vehemently disagree with Groothuis in your post. :)
Scooter,
I will fight you. I love the grey, but I just thought his post was thought provoking. That is all, don't totally agree.
z
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