Today we spoke with Bruce Ashford about his book: Every Square Inch: An Introduction to Cultural Engagement for Christians. Bruce shared about how the resurrection should change the way we view our jobs and callings.
1) You took the title of your book from Abraham Kuyper's famous statement. To what extent has Kuyper influenced your view of cultural engagement?
Kuyper has been very influential. In 1998, at the age of 24, I left the United States for the first time in order to teach at a university in Russia. I was living in a cultural context that had been almost entirely devoid of evangelical gospel influence for generations. Conversations with many of my students revealed a deep skepticism about whether or not God existed, whether life had any meaning, and whether there are any moral absolutes.
During this time, I began to read books on Christianity and culture written by a variety of Christian thinkers. Though I’ve read it or heard it quoted hundreds of times, I am still struck by Kuyper’s claim: “Oh, no single piece of our mental world is to be hermetically sealed off from the rest, and there is not a square inch in the whole domain of our human existence over which Christ, who is Sovereign over all, does not cry: ‘Mine!’”
In other words, Kuyper believed that Jesus Christ is Lord of all, and because of that fact, every aspect our lives should be affected by our Christianity. Christ is not merely the Lord over certain “religious” things, but also Lord over art, science, politics, economics, education, and homemaking. Kuyper gave me my first insight into the fact that Jesus Christ is relevant to every dimension of society and culture, and that for this reason we should allow our Christianity to shape absolutely everything we do.
2) Most Christians might recognize (I hope) that Christ's death and resurrection secured their eternal future, but how do the events of Holy Week affect our view of culture?
In the events of the Holy Week, we see the Lord Christ both as suffering Savior and conquering King. As he steps onto the cross, he takes upon himself our name, “Sinner,” and in return places upon us his name, “Righteous One.” Because of his righteous life and his death on our behalf, God the Father now counts us as righteous. This is a precious truth. Equally precious is the resurrection. When the Lord Christ rose from the dead, he rose victoriously over sin, Satan, and death. He gave us a glimpse of his role as conquering King, a role he will consummate when he returns again. The resurrection is a preview of the day when he returns to resurrect the universe so that we can live with him forever in this new heaven and earth.
The new heaven and earth is replete with culture—art, architecture, song, and so forth. This was God’s intention all along. When God created humanity in his image, he instructed us to till the soil. In effect, this command was a directive for all humans to be culture-makers. God was saying, “Take the good world I’ve given you and make something out of it. Bring out its hidden potentials.” This command, therefore, is not just about agriculture, but all kinds of culture. This command was not abrogated by the Fall.
Christ is not merely the Lord over certain “religious” things, but also Lord over art, science, politics, economics, education, and homemaking.
3) How should an "Every Square Inch" theology affect the way we think about our Monday-thru-Friday vocations?
I encourage people to evaluate their workplace calling by asking three questions. First, they should ask, “What is God’s creational design for this type of work, for this realm of culture?” Second, “In what ways have sin and idolatry corrupted and misdirected this realm?” Third, “How can I shape my activities in this realm in light of God’s word, thereby redirecting them toward Christ?” These questions are not easy to answer. It will take much effort to discern how deep-level biblical principles might apply toward a job in, say, cinematography, elementary math education, or investment banking. It will not be easy to know how exactly to shape one’s vocation toward Christ if one is an economist, a plumber, or a Congressman. However, out of obedience to Christ and out of a desire to bear witness we will work hard to answer those questions.
4) How can pastors help their people recapture this sense of Christ's Lordship, especially over areas that are seemingly "unspiritual" or "unchurchy"?
One of the most important things a pastor can do is refuse to divide the world into “sacred” and “secular” realms, elevating the former and denigrating the latter. Instead, he can show his congregation that all of life matters to God, including especially those realms we often call “secular.” A second thing he can do is to remind his people that Scripture repeatedly affirms the physical and material aspects of our lives. God affirmed those aspects when he created the world and when he sent his son, and he will reinstitute those aspects on the new heavens and earth. A third thing he can do is what Martin Luther often did, which is to apply his sermons to earthy realities such as work. A final thing he could do is to facilitate (in smaller group settings) conversations among Christian professionals about how to honor the Lord in their respective callings.
One of the most important things a pastor can do is refuse to divide the world into “sacred” and “secular” realms, instead, he can show his congregation that all of life matters to God
5) What would the church's witness look like if it was reimagined to match Christ's Lordship over all things?
If we reimagined our witness, we would need to hold together “word” and “deed.” God doesn’t give us a choice between the two. He never gives me the choice between speaking the gospel to my neighbor (words) and being faithful to my wife or faithful at work (deeds). He asks me to proclaim him with my lips and promote him with my life, to make my life a seamless tapestry of word and deed.
Additionally, we would need to expand our vision for word-based and deed-based ministry so that it stretches beyond the limitations we might place on it. We cannot limit Christ’s Lordship to our personal devotions, church attendance, sexual ethics, and personal witnessing encounters. His Lordship is much broader and deeper. His Lordship is as wide as creation and, as such, is as wide as our cultural lives. It extends beyond churchly activities to art, science, politics, economics, scholarship, education, business, entrepreneurship, sports, homemaking, and many other things. If God’s people can really grasp this truth, we can serve as a preview of his coming kingdom, a kingdom in which all things will glorify him.
Daniel Darling is vice-president of communications for the Ethics and Religious Liberty Commission. He is the author of several books, including his latest, Activist Faith.
