Habits of the Heart: The Habit of Cultural Critique

Habits of the Heart:The Habit of Cultural Critique Michael Goheen Vancouver, B.C.

Tracing the Phrase • Theme: Habits of the heart • Made popular by Robert Bellah’s book (Habits of the Heart: Individualism and Commitment in American Life) • Bellah borrows phrase from Alexis de Tocqueville

Alexis de Tocqueville Habits of the heart in ‘Democracy in America’ • Habitual social, economic, and political practices and customs that flowed, often unconsciously, from hidden beliefs, assumptions, and commitments.

Tracing the Phrase • Theme: Habits of the heart • Made popular by Bellah’s book • Bellah borrows from de Tocqueville • Tocqueville indebted to Jean-Jacques Rousseau and Blaise Pascal

Rousseau and Pascal • Habits of the heart: Laws of behaviour and habitual practices are ‘not inscribed on brass or marble, but in the hearts of citizens’ (Rousseau in Social Contract). • ‘We know the truth, not only by reason, but also by the heart, and it is in this last way that we know first principles; and reason which has no part in it, tries in vain to impugn them’ (Pascal in Pensées).

Psalm 119 Pascal’s comments are based on Psalm 119 • Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart. v.2 • I have chosen the way of truth; I have set my heart on your laws. v.30 • I run in the path of your commands, for you have set my heart free. v. 32 • Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain. v.36 • My heart is set on keeping your decrees to the very end. v.112

Summary: Historical Review • Human behaviour (social, political, economic, educational, etc.) is a matter of habit and custom • Habits and customs are rooted in heart • What is the heart?

Heart in Scripture • Most popular anthropological term: 1000 times in Scripture • Deepest core and centre of our being • All human life flows from heart • Religious: directed toward God or idol (God-substitute)

Religious Nature of Human Beings • Idol God • Humankind

Heart in Biblical Perspective • ‘Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the well-spring of life’ (Proverbs 4:23). • ‘. . . the heart is the person concentrated in religious unity; the many functions and activities by which we come to know a person are the expressions of this religious unity’ (Stuart Fowler).

Nature of Humanity lingual etc. Heart: religious core social rational political economic

Religious Beliefs Embodied Communally • Humanity created to live in community • Religious beliefs are communally held • Religious beliefs find expression in communal life ‘The ideas and values of the modern age are not only intellectualized but they are embedded in powerful institutions, arguably the most powerful institutions that have ever existed. . . . the key ideas, values, and characteristics of modernity are ‘carried by specific institutions . . .’ (John Davison Hunter).

Culture: Common way of life rooted in shared religious commitments customs institutions language lingual etc. families, schools, etc. Heart: religious core social patterns of thinking rational political economic state economic system

Two Illustrations • Habits of the heart • Medicine • Housing • Education • All: • Shaped by underlying religious beliefs about human being • Lack of awareness of foundational beliefs

Unaware of Foundational Beliefs • If you want to know about water, don’t ask a fish (Chinese proverb). • ‘Initially I am not aware of [my cultural worldview]. As long as I retain the innocence of a thoroughly indigenous western man, unshaken by serious involvement in another culture, I am not aware of [my cultural worldview]. It is simply “how things are” . . . No [worldview] is seen as a [worldview] by those who inhabit it: it is simply the way things are’ (Newbigin).

Problem: Cultural habits of heart shaped to some degree by idolatry! customs institutions language lingual etc. families, schools, etc. Heart: religious Core Idolatry social patterns of thinking rational political economic state economic system

Habit of Cultural Critique • If: our core beliefs and social habits incompatible with gospel • Then: we need to develop habit of cultural critique • Not easy: • Lack of critical distance • Myth of a Christian culture • Myth of secular, neutral culture

Uncovering the Hidden Credo • ‘Incomparably the most urgent missionary task for the next few decades is the mission to ‘modernity’ . . . It calls for the use of sharp intellectual tools to probe behind the unquestioned assumptions of modernity and uncover the hidden credo which supports them’ (Newbigin).

CULTURE • (patterns of life together) • Marriage Family Economic Political Education Media • Sports Entertainment Art Architecture Customs etc. etc. • ______________________________________________ • Shapes Gives meaning • RELIGIOUS BELIEFS (Credo)

Our religious beliefs are embedded in a story about the whole world. • All of our lives will be shaped by some story – either the story of Scripture or the story of our culture.

Six Important Elements of Cultural Critique • First, developing a habit of cultural critique will mean fostering the tension between the Biblical story and our cultural story.

Tension Between Gospel and Culture • The deeper the consciousness of the tension and the urge to take this yoke upon itself are felt, the healthier the Church is. The more oblivious of this tension the Church is, the more well established and at home in this world it feels, the more it is in deadly danger of being the salt that has lost its savour. • - Hendrik Kraemer

I didn’t realize until I took INT, and now this course how much I try to make Western culture and the Biblical worldview fit together. I realize more and more that they are actually opposite and against each other. Yet I must live in this culture because I am a part of it. • - Redeemer Student 2001

Six Important Elements of Cultural Critique • Second, developing a habit of cultural critique will mean knowing our cultural story.

Knowing Our History First item on agenda of revolutionary curriculum in history because ‘history is our most potent intellectual means of achieving a “raised consciousness”’ (Neal Postman).

Six Important Elements of Cultural Critique • Third, developing a habit of cultural critique will mean discerning the religious foundation of our cultural story.

Historical DevelopmentWho named these anyway? • Middle Ages • Renaissance • Enlightenment What is the hero of the story?

1350 1750 Enlightenment Middle Ages Renaissance ‘hero’ suppressed ‘hero’ born again ‘hero’ becomes light of the world What? Rationalistic humanism

Modern Western Confession of Faith • I believe in Man. I believe in the ability of man apart from God to define the world and solve the problems of the world. • I believe in Science Almighty. I believe in the power of human reason disciplined by the scientific method to understand, control, and change our world.

Modern Western Confession of Faith • I believe in Technology and a Rational Society, its only begotten sons which have the power to redeem our world. • I believe in the Spirit of Progress. I believe that a science-based technology and a rationally organised society will enable me to realise my ultimate human goal – freedom, happiness and comforts of material abundance. To this I commit myself with all my resources, time and money. Amen.

Western Faith: Rationalistic Humanism • Rationalistic humanism: Autonomous man is capable of defining the world (Creator) and solving problems of world bringing about a new world with science and technology (Redeemer).

What are dominant religious spirits today? • Postmodernity (attack on rationalistic humanism) • Economic globalisation (global spread of economic form of rationalistic humanism) • Consumerism (result of both)

Six Important Elements of Cultural Critique • Fourth, developing a habit of cultural critique will mean identifying and understanding the most powerful institutional ‘carriers’ or embodiments of our story.

Three ‘Carriers’ of Modern Story According to J.D. Hunter • Political: nation state • Economic: industrial capitalism • Cultural: school, media

Powerful Embodiments Today • Global, consumer capitalism • Proliferation of new technologies • Media • School • City

Six Important Elements of Cultural Critique • Fifth, developing a habit of cultural critique will mean reading and communal dialogue.

Communal Dialogue • Need for communal dialogue • ‘I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have the power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ . . .’ (Eph.3:18). • Other cultures: Mutual enrichment and critique

Six Important Elements of Cultural Critique • Sixth, developing a habit of cultural critique will mean taking hold of the spiritual weapons God has given for waging war.

Spiritual Weapons • Battle of kingdoms for whole creation • Need, not only for sharp intellectual tools, but for spiritual weapons

Paul’s Admonition • ‘For though we live in the world, we do not wage war as the world does. The weapons we fight with are not the weapons of this world. On the contrary, they have divine power to demolish strongholds. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ’ (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).

Wisdom and Discernment • ‘Test everything. • Hold on to the good. • Avoid every kind of evil.’ • (1 Thess. 5:21-22)

Prayer for Wisdom and Discernment • I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom . . . (Eph.1:17). • And this is my prayer: that your love may abound more and more in knowledge and depth of insight so that you may be able to discern what is best and may be pure and blameless until the day of Christ . . . (Phil.1:9f.)

Prayer for Wisdom • For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you and asking God to fill you with knowledge of his will through all spiritual wisdom and understanding. And we pray this in order that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way . . . (Col.1:9-10).

Loving Resistance Fighters • Loving our culture as part of God’s good creation (participation) • Resisting the idolatry that distorts it (separation)

Some questions for home-educators: • How can we negotiate the love/participation and resist/separation tension in cultural engagement? • How can we develop the habit of cultural critique in our families, our children?

Romans 12:1,2 Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing, and perfect will.

Habits of the Heart: The Habit of Cultural Critique