By Daniel Hofkamp, Evangelical Focus. (Photo: Wikimedia Creative Commons)
In Berlin, theologian Al Mohler talked about why Christians must engage culture biblically, be aware of media influence, and keep evangelism at the center of the church’s mission.
Political polarisation and growing secularisation in the West have led to a clash of worldviews, which some call the ‘culture war’, present everywhere, from universities and the media to the great agora of our century, social media platforms. In the United States, this dispute even shapes the country’s political direction, according to many analysts.
But how can Christians participate amid this dilemma? That is one of the questions we asked Al Mohler, president of the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, who was invited to Berlin to speak at the Fourth European Congress on Evangelism, organised by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA).
Mohler is also opinion editor at World magazine, one of the leading evangelical publications in the United States, and hosts the daily podcast The Briefing, in which he shares his views on current affairs.
Question. How should Christians approach news and media, considering the role secular media play in shaping the cultural worldview?
Answer: Well, I think part of this starts with being made in God’s image as social creatures. That means that as human beings we are part of cultures and societies, and of course that begins in the family. So there are aspects of culture that we cannot escape from.
Media, entertainment, and the arts are part of the culture all around us. Even if we do not, for example, go to a particular movie, we are still part of a culture influenced by that movie. I am not saying Christians should go and watch it; I am saying Christians must understand that culture is being shaped by it.