I have long believed that both church and world history teaches us there is no one/absolute/this-is-how-it's-done culture. Culture is all about traditions, human comfort zones, man-created styles of living and the desires to create or hold tightly to them. In a word with meaning very close to "culture" is the word "tradition".
Re-reading Luther's commentary on the Book of Galatians it becomes apparent what his thinking and teaching was about these matters though of course his core point throughout was justification by faith and not law or works.
Off and on at our annual Cornerstone Festival I marveled and rejoiced at the wide range of young and yes, older cultures, styles, traditions of the thousands of attendees who came. Year after year there were changes but always the wide, melting-pot of U.S., Canadian and other countries Fest-goers displayed the remarkable and in my view, super-cool broad range of traditions.
Many of those 28 years I would publicly state "Take care not to confuse Jesus with your chosen culture because no tradition died on the cross to forgive you of your sins, no culture or sub-culture walked out of the tomb 3 days later with you in mind!" In other words, customs do NOT save, only Jesus can and does as we repent, believe, walk with Him in daily and honest relationship.
In political and other polarization a number of nations have so knit together Christian or other religious traditions with their national identity that it becomes hard to separate a culture with God. Christians, true and merely those who claim to be Jesus's followers world-wide have shifted back and forth, from one cultural custom to another or the opposite, setting their feet in cement in the view that THEIRS IS THE ONLY LEGITIMATE TRADITION of what it means to truly -be- a Christian.
My view and that of plenty others across the ages is that there is no one, homogeneous, monolithic Christian culture as such. So shall we spread ours by the sword and call it true Christianity? "All will know you are MY disciples by your love one for another". Of course this doesn't mean all will love, respect, employ the exact same traditions, culture, sense of how to live, much less vote.
When we overly focus on tradition, well, we see what Jesus said about all this to the Jewish leaders, Pharisees, Sadducees and (think about this!) the scribes themselves whose entire day job was copying Scripture. They, according to Jesus, in the practical annulled the very Word of God by their traditions, their daily practices.
I made it a point to clarify- and will continue to -that both old and new customs, traditions, cultures have often been equally problematic to our witness of Jesus. In plain English, some Christians focus on, preach and live more out of personal custom/culture/tradition be it older or newer, than they do relationship with Jesus, His Word and His desires.
Luther was quite intense about how a chosen culture of professing believers had taken Christians to believe they must trust their own good works for their very salvation -which neither Jesus, Paul, Peter nor even James and Jude preached. Our justification and Justifier is ONLY Jesus Christ and no other -including our chosen customs and comfort zones.
When a majority or minority of a nation decides it will by law and prosecution demand the country must now become a theocracy we are saying the leader or leaders are in essence, God rather than servants of the true God. Study Constantine and so many of the popes in history and how all that pans out when flawed humans take such power and stance as the will of God! This is why so many through history have called for separation of church and state. To confuse one with the other is like saying "Hi, we come in love to force our will down your throat because of course, we come in Jesus's Name."
The kingdom of God is not synonymous with the kingdoms of this world, no, not even Israel as a nation-state. We do ourselves, the Good News of Jesus and both believers and un/pre-believers no good and in fact place many in the crossfire when we determine our culture is THE Christian culture and all others must think, dress and for that matter, vote as -we- do.
Things to consider along the path? I think so. As always, thanks for stopping by. -Glenn
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