A required reading item when I was in seminary was H. Richard Niebuhr’s Christ and Culture, which helpfully assesses the ways Christians have related to the culture around them through history, and today. For some, Christ is against culture. Others discern agreement between Christ and culture. Still others find Christ above culture. And finally, some see (or hope for) Christ transforming culture.

When I asked what y’all wanted me to riff on next, a few brought up the question of our culture and our faith. Niebuhr’s categories all make sense, depending on what aspect of culture we’re thinking about. The truth is, we are so enmeshed in the culture that we aren’t wise at sorting things out – like asking a fish what living in the water is like.

I tend to be one who notices problems with our culture and how they damage or hinder our connection with God. I also cling to the slender hope that God, what we believe about the power of God, and God’s church might actually transform what’s lunacy or tawdry in the culture. I just finished writing a book on religion and politics in which I try to plot a path toward reconciliation and the fixing of politics.  Crazy, I know – but “With God, nothing will be impossible” (Genesis 17, Luke 1).

For now, let’s agree there are marvels in our culture that are blessings, even holiness manifest. A beautiful song or painting. Facetime enabling grandparents to chat with little ones. Books like Theo of Golden that make your spirit soar. Love of freedom and democracy. Manners. Christmas lights. Churches. Email – so you can read this. The list is long.

Sometimes devout Christians fear things they need not fear. My mother panicked when I mentioned playing pool. Some fear people who are different. This list too is long.

I think we need to develop antennae in the soul to guide us in detecting when the culture is sapping our spirituality and our noble sense of self. So anything that is injecting what’s trashy, or cool, or glittery into your worldview. Whatever narrows or constricts your viewpoint – or your attention span.

Our entire media culture seems hell-bent on this narrowing. Technology is a great gift, enabling those grandparent Facetimes, or amazing me with images from deep space or deep in the ocean so I’m filled with awe and can praise God. Technology is a terrible curse, with unseemly, dehumanizing images and messages at everyone’s fingertips, and addicting us to our screens. As I’ve often said, If you’re always available, then you’re never available – to God, to others, even to your self.

Whatever that’s out there that belittles others, or spreads negativity. Whatever feeds our fears and anxieties. Whatever presses you to see yourself as a consumer, made to accumulate the most toys or the newest, hippest trinkets or clothes. Whatever tricks you into measuring yourself and others on a phony scale not of God’s devising. All these are culture woes, and we’d best be alert to and wary of them.

I could write a book on this subject – and I might! Let me close with a word about AI. A few months back, I lucked into a conversation with a nationally-known expert on AI. He said that what we’re seeing now that’s labelled AI isn’t really AI. My computer says “AI is thinking.” But it’s really just a faster, more comprehensive google search, the kind we’ve had for many years.

AI, he pointed out, is when a machine thinks independently. If I ask today’s pseudo-AI how much tax I’ll owe if I buy a house and sell some stock, it will crunch for a few seconds and tell me an amount. Real AI might respond by saying You fool, don’t buy a house! Let me find you a boat. The nightmare we have to fear was portrayed in the 1968 film 2001: A Space Odyssey, when Hal the computer refused to answer questions and instead took over the ship. We’d best brace ourselves…

For now, a Christian pursuing holiness might appreciate a shortcut to looking up an answer. But we also will shrink back from every shortcut. There’s some virtue in doing the work, putting in the time. I was with some young adults recently. Somebody asked a question. Everybody retrieved their phones. But one said Put those down! We can work this out ourselves. A relationship with God, and transforming the culture, will be hard work, requiring time, doggedness, sweat and resilience. The joy will be in the long labor. Once upon a time, that was in the soul of our culture!