HAS ‘CULTURE’ BECOME A MEANINGLESS WORD?

Once upon a time, cultures were more easily defined. People lived in smaller, more homogeous communities. A common faith provided the backbone for a common culture.

But now?

People live in a worldwide multi-linked community. There is no common faith in our cities and towns. Cultural influences come from everywhere to everywhere. The latest hit song becomes part of our ‘culture’, even though it may have absolutely no connection to any shared worldview, shared paradigms for life, or shared values.

TV shows, designed – let’s face it – to make money through the entertainment industry, become cultural ‘icons’. National celebrations, as discussed last week, cannot bring any sort of cultural unity because our society (in Australia at least) is such a hotch-potch of competing cultures.

Patchwork quilts, where dozens, maybe hundreds, of ladies each contribute a square according to certain guidelines, can be beautiful. Unfortunately, popular culture is like a patchwork quilt with no guidelines whatsoever. The composite result will be meaningless (unless the meaning is diversity – which then cancels out any other possible meaning).

Multicultural society cannot, by definition, have a true culture. But any people group within that broader society, if there is that sense of shared worldview, shared paradigms and shared values, can still be a culture. Or, more precisely, a subculture.

This, my friends, is the level at which culture can be meaningful. What a wonderful opportunity for the people of God in Christ!

So the answer to the question in today’s heading must still be ‘no’. Culture is still meaningful, but only to the extent that it relates to a group of people, however large or small, who can share it at a meaningful level.