Christianity as a Counterculture

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Table of Contents

Introduction
Defining Counterculture
The Message of Jesus as a Counterculture Centuries Ago
Christianity as a Counterculture Today
Three Countercultural Virtues
Do Christians Need to Engage the World?
Conclusion
References

Introduction

Since ancient times, this world has always been full of contradictions and confrontations between different concepts and ideas. It may also happen that a particular person feels that their own beliefs are opposing, and some of their principles do not permit adherence to the principles or norms of other people or societies. This can be challenging and harmful for humans, but such a concept may develop not only in an individual but also in a whole religion. For example, Christianity has always been considered counter-cultural; nowadays, this is more evident than ever. Being surrounded by tricky and ambiguous questions about traditional or gay marriage, abortions, divorces, and personal freedom (Budde and Brimlow 2012), how are Christians supposed to react to them? Overall, while maintaining its relevance to different cultural norms and practices throughout the ages, Christianity still stays true to its counter-culture core.

Defining Counterculture

Before discussing Christianitys counter-cultural aspects, it is important to define this phenomenon in general. First of all, counterculture is a culture or a lifestyle with a set of moral principles, norms of behavior, values, and traditions that are substantially different from the rules of the established society (Budde and Brimlow 2012). Sometimes, their concepts are even diametrically opposed, making it rather challenging for the counterculture members to fit in and engage the world (Platt 2017). It is interesting that both the counter and the main cultures can affect each other and foster one anothers development. Nevertheless, the primary purpose of their coexistence is to hold opposing positions on significant problems and questions.

The Message of Jesus as a Counterculture Centuries Ago

Two thousand years ago, cultural norms and traditions were not quite ethical or perfect, but most people, especially men, embraced and followed them. However, Jesus Christ was not afraid of resisting and challenging ordinary peoples lives (Standaert 2011). Overall, he tried to encourage people to adopt some changes and become closer to God, valuing His principles, following His rules, and being shaped into His image.

There are many examples of how Jesus challenged the norm of contemporary society. For instance, at that time, men were allowed to get a divorce for any reason, but Jesus said: what God has joined together, let man not separate (Mark 10:9). Further, children were considered unworthy of their parents attention, and Jesus invited them to come to him (Mark 10:14). While wealth was chased by and revered among humans, Jesus Christ asked them to sell or give away their valuable belongings to the poor (Mark 10:21). Finally, although disabled people were considered not worthy of sympathy and attention, Jesus healed him (Mark 10:52), which was another deviation from generally accepted principles. Therefore, it is possible to say that Christianity has become a counterculture starting with the message of Jesus, who preferred to challenge the worlds wrongful ideas than adopt them.

Christianity as a Counterculture Today

Many aspects and traditions have changed since the teachings of Jesus Crist were introduced to people. However, even nowadays, Christianity is still considered to be a counterculture because many norms of behavior adopted by mainstream society are not accepted by Christians (Diettrich 2011). What is more, the latter actively try to spread their religion and encourage others to follow the image of God and the message of Jesus, which proves that Christianity is not a subculture but a counterculture (Platt 2017). Overall, it is essential to analyze the aspects that allow talking about this religions opposition to the norms of society in detail.

Three Countercultural Virtues

Generally, there are several counter-cultural Christian virtues that lie at the core of this faith and make it strong enough to oppose the devastating norms of the current world. First, in a society with a fairly fast pace of life, it is necessary to be responsible for everything. News, people, events, and technologies change too quickly, and many humans have forgotten how to wait and remain calm (Platt 2017). Thus, patience and acceptance of the fact that some events are beyond ones control have become a countercultural aspect of Christianity.

Further, most modern people, especially the youth, want to be noticed, accepted, and admired, which leads them to loud and defiant behavior. Humans forget about meekness, another Christian virtue that has become opposed to the norm. As noticed in the Book of Matthew, Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the earth (Matthew 5:5 [NIV]). Unfortunately, modern culture is noisy, hateful, irrational, reckless, and fearful, so being modest and reserved is not accepted by most (Mattson 2016). Consequently, this is another characteristic that makes Christians different from the representatives of mainstream society and makes it difficult for them to fit in.

Finally, the third Christian virtue that other people find difficult to obtain is humility. Again, the pace of life and the access to modern technologies, where almost all people edit their photos, use perfect quotes, and persuade everyone that their life is amazing have deprived most humans of humility (Mattson 2016). Christianity teaches us to be respectful, obedient, polite, and genuine, but representatives of mainstream society are not always able to apologize sincerely or communicate politely.

Do Christians Need to Engage the World?

Considering everything mentioned above, Christians may ask themselves whether they are allowed or even have to be involved in the mainstream world. The answer is yes: those whose faith is strong enough need to fit in in order to spread their religious teachings and encourage others to follow God (Standaert 2011). In societal issues like divorces, abortions, gay marriages, racial wars, and governmental control, Christians need to actively promote their views so that other humans can adopt them and see the world differently.

Conclusion

To draw a conclusion, one may say that Christianity is indeed a counterculture, but this is neither a negative nor a positive characteristic. On the one hand, Christians faith is powerful enough to make them maintain their loyalty and love for their God and not become tempted by the norms of mainstream society. The fact that they deviate allows them to spread their own traditions, views, and beliefs and encourages more people to join Christianity. On the other hand, they still need to fit in and engage the world, but their principles make it extremely challenging. Generally, it is possible to notice that Christians actually need to be a part of this world and society but stick to the teachings of Jesus Christ. In this case, Christianity will maintain its relevance to different cultural norms while also staying true to its counter-culture core.

References

Budde, Michael L., and Brimlow, Robert W. 2012. The Church as Counterculture. Albany, SUNY Press.

Diettrich, Brian. 2011. Voices from Under-the-Garland: Singing, Christianity, and Cultural Transformations in Chuuk, Micronesia. Yearbook for Traditional Music 43: 6288.

Mattson, Stephen. 2016. Christianitys Five Most Countercultural Virtues.Relevant Magazine. 2022.

Platt, David. 2017. Counter Culture: Following Christ in an Anti-Christian Age. Carol Stream, Tyndale House Publishers.

Standaert, Nicolas. 2011. The Interweaving of Rituals: Funerals in the Cultural Exchange between China and Europe. Seattle: the University of Washington Press.

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