Culture and our “cultural moment,” what fascinating topics to think through. We are all formed by our culture to some extent, and we all add to or shape our culture to some extent. The Seven Songs series is largely an exercise in cultural analysis and asking what the Bible says about these cultural elements. When trying to find a resource that can help us think through what it means to look at culture this way there was one clear standout.
Plugged In by author Daniel Strange is tackling the topic of culture head-on by helping us understand how Christians should be interacting with and thinking through culture. We tend to lash out against culture, ignore it or become just like it. Dan can help us see how these three tendencies are all faulty and that there is a more nuanced and healthier path forward if we take the time to think it through.
Books discussing culture often tend to lack being relatable to the average person or are not approaching the topic from a distinctly Christian lens. Despite Dr Daniel Strange’s academic history, Plugged In is written to be approachable and Christian (and it’s only a 5-hour read according to Audible and Spotify!). So, if you have never read a book on understanding how we as Christians interact with the world around us then this is a near mandatory read.
Here are two personal takeaways from this book to whet your appetite:
We are bombarded with information that is complex. Some relevant, some irrelevant. Some promoting fear, some promoting trust. Some that is genuine, some that is deceptive. Even more than this, some messages contain something positive while at the same time containing something negative. Dan is eager to help us think through what it means to able to discern these complications. This means being able to engage helpfully to subvert those aspects of culture that the Gospel disagrees with, but also to fulfil those cultural longings that the Gospel agrees with and exemplifies even more.
Some cultural elements are quite obviously taken too far, consider an over glorification of sex and money. These are dangerous when taken too far and most Christians are aware of these threats. However, culture is much deeper than this and is often far less visible. One example Dan gives is “Sentimentalisation”, describing it as “Emotional self-indulgence, so that what you feel becomes the most important.” When cultural elements like this are put under the microscope it becomes clear how widespread these assumptions are and how we often adopt these cultural norms without realising.
I can talk a lot about this topic… feel free to come talk to me. In the meantime, you can find the book for yourself at the following:
Paper copy:
https://koorong.com/product/plugged-in-connecting-your-faith-with-everything-you_9781909919419
Audio book:
https://open.spotify.com/show/0hsgVH50lX30RBAcdQ8nCO?si=0c7c4133cfeb4488
https://www.audible.com.au/pd/Plugged-In-Audiobook/1541433181
Brandyn Rasmussen, Ministry Apprentice