Here at Quiet Rest, I have sensed from the day I began digging that I have been made the steward of devine gardens that were planted long before I ever arrived on the scene. I would like to think that God has left me in charge of caring for the well-designed garden beds of various flowers, trees, and now a small vegetable garden. I have been entrusted to sustain, nourish, and cultivate the yard that has been placed in my care.
On a recent trip, back to my home in
My neighborhood in Florida has strong restriction on unsightly lawns, yard waste, etc. but often suffers from the same disregard. There are times when litter lines driveways or on the street. Yet, despite my anger and frustration over this problem, most of the time, I do not stop to exercise the same care and stewardship as I do over my own yard. Rarely do I take the time to pick up the trash that mars the landscape. Indeed, I often fail to make the connection between my own lack of care and attention and the anger or frustration I feel over its prevalence and the cavalier attitude of those who litter in the first place.
Well, perhaps this serves as an analogy for the stewardship of culture itself. Unfortunately, as writer Gregory Wolfe suggests in Art, Faith, and the Stewardship of Culture, "Many Christians have allowed themselves to become so estranged from contemporary culture that they have essentially given up any hope of influencing the artists who will create the visual images, stories, and music that shape our time." Indeed, Wolfe goes on to wonder if Christians have ever applied the concept of stewardship to the wider culture. He argues that the Christian often fails to realize the connection between his own despair and anger over the "demise" of culture, and his own unwillingness to exercise stewardship, care, and responsibility for that culture.
I'm asking the question: could it be that regardless of my religious worldview, does a lack of involvement in the culture often contrasts sharply with the stewardship that is assumed over the resources that's been given me in family, gifts, and talents? I'm I an example; tending to my "own yard" as it were, yet ignoring the larger landscape. Through my spiritual eye, I see an added dimension of responsibility inherent in my entrustment as caretaker for God's creation. A vital part of this mission involves tending to culture, just as I cultivate the land or soil in preparation for growing crops or plants. Here I ask myself: what might this cultural cultivation entail?
First, I believe I exercise cultural stewardship by becoming familiar with my culture through art, music, literature and film. How do I speak into a culture without the knowledge of its language? I don't need to see, read, or listen to every movie, art exhibit, book, or piece of music in order to learn how to speak into culture. Rather, what are the cultural works that stir discussion in my church, at my wood shop, in a clients home, or my social settings? These might be voices to whom I listen as I engage with the language of the gospel.
Second, it seems to me, I exercise cultural stewardship by recovering the doctrine of the Incarnation. The Incarnation of Jesus suggests the total union of the human and divine. Wolfe notes that we apply this Incarnational balance to many of our theological concepts, holding together in union God's justice and God's mercy, God's sovereignty, and human responsibility. In a similar manner, the Incarnation serves as a plumb line for my engagement with the various voices of culture. If I simply enter into cultural engagement without spiritual discernment, I will be driven here and there by every trend and twist in my culture. However, if I remove myself from all cultural engagement, I lose my ability to communicate and speak to the culture lacking the vocabulary of faith.
Finally, and I'm not sure it is "finally," but however, I need to exercise cultural stewardship by remembering that I'm made in the image of the God who creates. All that God created, God declared "good." Human sin "pollutes" God's good creation. But as God's image-bearer, doing nothing about this pollution is not an option. As an image-bearer, the call is to seek out ways in which I can create meaning and beauty, justice and righteousness in the world. I bear witness to the good God and God's good creation by being a cultural creator and not simply cultural despiser.
Bill, you ought not simply see the trash of culture and do nothing about it. Instead, if you have your heart set toward being an image-bearer, you will hear the distinct voice of God calling you to pick it up along the way as a part of tending and cultivating a culture that values beauty, goodness, and truth.
