THEME 10: CHRIST AND
CULTURE
Self-Understanding in our Culture
KEY TERMS
Self-understanding-society tends to see the self
as being isolated from others, but self
understanding cannot happen without the other.
At the heart of who I am lies the things that I am
committed to, things that are of crucial
importance to me.
 Self-esteem- Awareness of one’s own worth
 Individualism- to defined later
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INTRO:
Our culture’s vision of the individual influences
how you see yourself, which affects how you live
as a consequence
 God has a vision of who we are also
 Jesus’ ministry told us about God and who we are
in the sight of God
 The good news of Jesus helps us see ourselves as
we really are – beloved by God
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MY IDENTITY
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It is more than just my
name
It is what is important
to me – my values, and
what I find good
It is connected to the
commitments I make
It is connected to where
I stand
The way we think is
shaped by Western
culture- and has been
evolving for many
centuries
RENE DESCARTES
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In 1642 this French
philosopher searched for a
new way to knowing – one
based solely on his own
authority, rather than
being shaped by culture
He undertook a doubting
experiment: questioning
everything that people of
his time held certain –
God, the scriptures, Jesus
and the church, the world
around him, the principle
of mathematics.
The result was the only thing he knew for certain
was his doubt- that he didn’t know anything for
certain
 His most famous phrase was “I think, therefore I
am”.
 The only thing he could find certainty in was his
own thinking
 This attitude of skepticism has stayed with the
world today and has influenced Western culture
ever since
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INDIVIDUALISM
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We believe ourselves to be individuals.
Individualism: The isolation of self in Western
Culture. It puts more emphasis on the individual
than the community. As a result, our culture
often has conflicts between the rights and values
of the individual and the common good of society
We all look at ourselves differently, but we share
a lot of common characteristics that set us apart
from people who lived, many years ago, or from
those who live in non-western cultures.
 There are seven tendencies that people in
western culture have when it comes to
identifying who we are.
 Our culture has shaped us in these ways without
us necessarily being aware of it.
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SEVEN TENDENCIES OF INDIVIDUALISM

1) I am free
I am not bound to
anyone or anything
 I am responsible to
myself
 The only authority I
accept is one that
protects my freedom
from the attempts of
others to take it away
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2) I have rights

These are protected by
declarations of human
rights, including
Canada’s Charter of
Rights
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3) I am equal
I have the same claim to
freedom, dignity and
rights as everyone else
 I am interested in myself
and use my power to
further my own interests
 Nations need
governments to protect
people’s rights and
equality and citizens
must have a voice in
government or decisions
that affect them
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4) Only reason binds
me
Knowledge comes
through observation
and experience
 I need evidence that
things are true
 “empirical” knowledge
has been powerful
influence in the
development of science
and technology

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5) I am isolated from
everything
In relationship to the
world and to others, I
am an observer
 I see everything from
my own perspective
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6) I am master of the
earth
The earth is an object
of my study and
observation
 I can exploit it as I see
fit for my own benefit
and happiness
 I am also the master
over my own body
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7) I am godless
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The world is centered
on me and God has no
place, except for at the
limits of my life (times
of sickness, death,
disaster, etc.)