Culture and the Arts

What is culture?

In Christ, cultural distinctiveness is a good and beautiful gift.

Every culture has “guiding stories” and myths that have varying levels of harmony with what C.S. Lewis called the “True Myth.” 

We’re called to bear witness to the True Story.

The arts are an expression of a culture’s guiding story and values, reflecting the people’s spiritual aches and hungers.

Discussion questions

1. What’s a movie, show, book, or song that you recently watched/read/listened to that had clear signs of spiritual aches and hungers? What were they? How could you have a meaningful discussion about these with a friend?
   
2. What’s a time in which you were in a different cultural context and noticed something beautiful and redemptive about their distinct customs or creations?
3. What’s one thing that you like to create that opens up your heart to God and could be a blessing to others?