The Five Christ-and-Culture Perspectives
In 1951 H. Richard Niebuhr published his book, Christ and Culture, in which he seeks to analyze the relationship of the
Christian to the times and world in which the Christian lives. Much has been written, pro and con, in response to the
five perspectives Niebuhr proposes. He associates his fourth view, which he calls “Christ and culture in paradox,” with
Luther, though many maintain that Niebuhr does not adequately grasp Luther’s two-kingdoms framework (a
persistent problem throughout 20th century theology).
Nevertheless, Neibuhr’s five perspectives are a helpful index for considering how the church has understood itself
across the centuries and today. The list generates lively discussion and many insights in group sessions.
You can prepare to assist with discussion and study with these readings:
One Kingdom Teaches the Other
A chapter-length essay explaining how the two-kingdoms concept enables Lutheran education to address both the
temporal concerns of our disciplines and the eternal concerns of Christ’s kingdom without compartmentalizing or
conflating them. From Learning at the Foot of the Cross: A Lutheran Vision for Education, Joel Heck and Angus J.L.
Menuge, eds.
Religious Expression in the Public Square
From Issues in Christian Education, Winter 2005, several readings on the two kingdoms doctrine and the Christian’s
role in God’s left-hand kingdom including articles from David Lumpp, Martin Marty, Russ Moulds, Jerrald Pfabe, and
Eric Moeller. (Alt link: Issues in Christian Education Winter 2005)
Christ and Culture by H. Richard Neibuhr (Harper & Row, 2001)
The 50th-anniversary edition, with an introduction by the author never before included in the book, and a new
preface by James Gustafson.
Christ and Culture Revisited by D.A. Carson (Eerdmans, 2012)
After exploring the classic typology of H. Richard Niebuhr with its five Christ-culture options, Carson offers a
comprehensive paradigm for informing the Christian worldview. A helpful discussion from a respected theologian in
the Reformed tradition.
Christ and Culture in Dialogue, Angus Menuge, ed. CPH, 1999
A helpful set of essays that related the Christ-and-culture views to the Lutheran tradition. The chapter by Menuge is
particularly helpful for gaining a Lutheran perspective beyond the oversimplifications of earlier Lutheran dogmatics.
So what is the relationship of
Christ with culture?
• Christ conflicts with culture
• Christ conforms to culture
• Christ transcends culture
• Christ in tension with culture
• Christ transforms culture
Brief discussion: Christians have considered all of these.
Examples? Which one tends to describe your perspective
on the relationship of the Christian faith and the world?
Which one best corresponds with Luther’s two-kingdoms
framework? How would you express this view?