Niehbur's types

Question 1

Christ against culture

Answer 1

Christ against culture. This type absolutizes Christ’s authority and rejects culture.

Question 2

Christ of culture

Answer 2

Christ does not contradict or abrogate the hopes, truths, and ‚holiness‛ of culture and society, as the representatives of the first type maintain, but, on the contrary, leads to their fulfillment and perfection. (Gnostics)

Question 3

Christ above culture

Answer 3

Thomas Aquinas says yes to both Christ and culture, although the former is, in his opinion, far superior to the latter. it is the middle ground between “against” and “of”.

Question 4

Christ and culture in paradox

Answer 4

human beings are at odds with God, desiring to live as gods without God. in the world but not of the world. apostle Paul

Question 5

Christ the transformer of culture

Answer 5

sin is endemic in all culture’s manifestations so we look to transform it