Quinn, Benjamin T., and Dennis T. Greeson. The Way of Christ in Culture: A Vision for All of Life. Brentwood, TN: B&H Academic, 2024. 176 pp. $19.99.
The Way of Christ in Culture—part of the Christ in Everything series by B&H Academic—seeks to provide a framework for Christians to think about culture (137) and to live in their cultural milieu as part of God’s work in the world (138). The book can be divided into three sections: the descriptive section (chap. 1–4), the prescriptive section (chap. 5), and a section addressing “The Questions We Ask” (chap. 6–7). Chapter 1 begins with the biblical story as a starting point for understanding the way of Christ in culture (2). God created the structure and direction of the world (5). Hence, God is the author of culture and uses culture to communicate his way against the counterfeit way of sin (14). Chapter 2 lays out the authors’ definition of culture: “culture consists of the ways and products of creatures in creation” (25). Quinn and Greeson then summarize four approaches to culture: the sociological, the missiological, the ethical, and the blended approach, the last of which is developed by the authors (29–33).
Chapter 3 provides an overview of the most influential Christian typologies of culture and the theologians behind them, including the “church and culture” typology—Ernst Troeltsch (42–45), the “Christ and culture” typology—Richard Niebuhr (45–51), and the “nature and grace” typology—Herman Bavinck (51–58). Chapter 4 describes the doctrinal foundations for the authors’ approach to culture. Quinn and Greeson focus on their understanding of the triune God and his relationship with humanity and culture (60–70), which includes God’s activity in the history of the world, the work of Jesus here and now, and the work of the Holy Spirit. They also present their understanding of humanity and how it ought to relate to culture as image bearers to advance God’s way in the world (70–79).
Chapter 5 comprises the prescriptive section of the book. The authors advocate for an approach to cultural engagement that follows “the way” of biblical wisdom (82). Quinn and Greeson argue that wisdom centers on Jesus (83), connects the Bible with the way people engage culture (83), encompasses all of life (84), is relevant to every time and place (85), and characterizes spiritual new birth (85). They also establish the essential components of biblical wisdom (86–91) and contend that wisdom declares what is and ought to be in creation, culture, and the church (91–95). The importance of viewing wisdom as God’s way in the world for people to walk in (93) allows for a broader discussion and encourages serious reflection on the implications of biblical wisdom across all areas of life. This section motivates readers to study Augustine, Blocher, and even Quinn’s work on wisdom.
The final section of the book, chapters 6 and 7, presents thought-provoking questions to inspire wise cultural engagement (99). Chapter 6 focuses on questions of orientation and interpretation, so people learn to locate themselves in a time within God’s redemptive story (102), a place with a particular cultural context (108), and a worldview of a specific culture that communicates what they consider good and desirable (114). Chapter 7 considers the how-to of cultural engagement to orient culture towards Christ (120). This chapter also examines the views of four theologians influenced by the Dutch neo-Calvinist tradition and the way they engaged their cultural contexts based on their convictions: Klass Schilder on cultural engagement in war zones (126–27), Richard Mouw on cultural engagement in places of peace (127–29), Tim Keller on cultural engagement in transitional spaces (130–32), and Johann Herman Bavinck on cultural engagement in pioneering places (132–35). The book concludes by restating the authors’ intent to present a framework for Christians to think about culture not as an ultimate goal, but as part of God’s greater story (137).
Overall, The Way of Christ in Culture speaks to every Christian who aspires to understand culture theologically. The discussions address a Western audience but bring forward biblical truths that can be applied widely. Each section offers a sensible starting point for further study of culture and the Christian life. Beyond presenting a practical theology of culture, this book centers around Christ, which makes him the greatest pursuit in the cultural calling for believers (138) and makes this book worth reading.
