Joseba Kamiruaga Mieza CMF
In his apostolic exhortation on the evangelisation of the contemporary world, Pope St. Paul VI affirmed: “The rupture between the gospel and culture is undoubtedly the drama of our time… Hence every effort must be made for a generous evangelisation of culture or, more precisely, of cultures”. Pope Francis’ visit to the University of Louvain on September 27, and because of the 600th anniversary of its foundation, led me to take the opportunity to reflect on a topic in a brief way: the relationship between the Church and culture. What value does the Church give to culture?
The impression is that despite so many centuries of very muscular and very oriented cultural projects [and perhaps also because of this], much has been lost along the way, not only in the number of believers but also in reflective capacity, in the elaboration of thought, in education for beauty, in the sharing of ideas and opinions, in free study and research with a broad perspective.
With a few happy exceptions, there is still a lack of natural and widespread ordinary pastoral care of culture. There are extraordinary events, such as some good events and conferences, but the ordinary has been overshadowed. Suffice it to say that, for example, many dioceses do not even have a vicariate of culture, no contact, no e-mail, no office in charge. To what extent is fear of facing the modern world at work in this neglect?
The rupture between the gospel and culture is undoubtedly the drama of our time… Hence every effort must be made for a generous evangelisation of culture or, more precisely, of cultures
Pope St. Paul VI
Because, for those who frequent the cultural world, both within and outside the Church, there seems to be a structural difficulty in entering into dialogue and thus understanding the complex cultural phenomena of modernity: even here, in the face of disorientation, we, too often take refuge in the apologetic or the consolatory, in the devotional and the banal, closed-mindedness and self-referentiality.
Fearful of questions, perhaps we like to pound on with answers, always the same ones. We like the intellectual and the artist when they are very organic or non-organic; they touch on matters of faith, and somehow, we can put the flag up.
At least from some point of view, in the average life of parishes, culture is relegated to last place, after liturgical, sacramental, youth, and charitable pastoral care. We find it hard to think, reflect, and debate courageously on high-level issues; we find it hard to make room for specific competencies.
In the ordinary, we like free cultural things, therefore run by amateurs of goodwill. Fearful, we are more prone to suggest a superficially devotional book [a prevalent aspect that risks being relegated to intellectual infantilism] than a study, even a popular one, on scripture, art, theology, philosophy, and science. It happens that we repeat slogans as reassuring, without drawing constructive consequences from them [for example: “science and faith are not at odds” … so what?].
It will be said that a community cannot do everything. This is true. But here, it is essential to try to create a system between several communities, to get the dioceses to move in the direction… beyond the diocesan museums [though with happy exceptions, it must be said], often infinitely sad with their eight showcases of vestments and dusty chalices.
With a few happy exceptions, there is still a lack of natural and widespread ordinary pastoral care of culture. There are extraordinary events, such as some good events and conferences, but the ordinary has been overshadowed
A Christian culture that is alive, fresh, open, and not archaeological in content—this, it seems to me, must become a necessary lung of our being Christians today. A culture that is up-to-date, attentive, not frightened, confident, and willing to take risks.
Some may see the danger of intellectualism and elites, I imagine, but not engaging culture seriously for fear that the People of God will not understand it, is in itself a wrong idea of the People of God, almost as if it were a chicken to be fed with pre-chewed fodder and not to focus on what is beautiful, authentic, good, in the 21st century.
Not to think of gradual paths of cultural fruition or, worse, to look askance at anything that encourages critical reflection and autonomy of judgment are burdens we impose on ourselves as inhabitants of the time in which we live. Or do we fear the value of reflection and independence of judgment?
I have never seen ugly, sloppy theatrical performances; poorly performed concerts; crappy exhibitions by local artists with little talent and a lot of emotional devotion; outdated book presentations. On the other hand, well-prepared exhibitions, well-performed concerts, dialogues, comparisons, and exciting performances must find a place in our journey of faith. We cannot relegate reason to the background, contenting ourselves with superficial emotions instead of intense and constructive immersions in aesthetics and reasoning, which also become experiences.
A Christian culture that is alive, fresh, open, and not archaeological in content—this, it seems to me, must become a necessary lung of our being Christians today. A culture that is up-to-date, attentive, not frightened, confident, and willing to take risks
It is an immense field; it deserves to be plowed: the Church’s past has admirable testimonies of culture at the highest levels, to which we have all too easily become unaccustomed. Take risks, put money into it, and invest in formation and gradual paths. Give space even to lay people when they write beautiful books and avoid stale apologetics. Do not look askance at those who study and question, those who study in-depth, and those who practice art but value talents, charisms, and gifts. Use understandable language.
This crisis of ordinary culture in the ecclesial sphere is another urgency of our daily journey as Christians in the 21st century.
The link between Christianity and culture is important and relevant for our communities and our history. Rethinking the relationship between Christianity and culture has always generated a series of opinions aimed at following new paths, cultivating a thoughtful faith, awakening passion, returning to roots, becoming a sign of contradiction and alternative, and welcoming new cultural challenges.
Indeed, in our time, believers are invited to reflect on how and to what extent the demands of faith can contribute to culture. Starting from this premise, it is clear that the interest of Christians in culture is not aimed at owning or controlling anything but at fermenting all that is authentically human, free, just, and good in society. Consequently, the involvement of Christians in today’s culture is aimed—rather than pointing out evidence and public positions—at relaunching paths, promoting itineraries, encouraging journeys, rediscovering beauty and depth, walking, and stopping together.
It seems to me more and more that the real drama today is not the decline in the frequency of the faithful attending Sunday Masses but the fact that at this stage, those who go to Mass can think like those who don’t and can even be utterly alien to the great cultural tradition of Christianity.
I have never seen ugly, sloppy theatrical performances; poorly performed concerts; crappy exhibitions by local artists with little talent and a lot of emotional devotion; outdated book presentations
From its origins, Christianity has sought not only to pray but also to change the way of thinking and the models of life—that is, the culture—of the pagan world to make them more Christian and more human. Is this a task again being posed today, perhaps even more urgently, in this post-Christian world? Only from this profound cultural renewal can a revolution in the dominant way of conceiving the person and the common good emerge. But this presupposes that we see that Christianity must continue to try to extend its tent to culture and thought.
If Christianity was once a cultural revolution, will it still be so today and tomorrow? I am not thinking of a Christian culture but, better still in my view, of a Christian-inspired culture that leaves room for creativity and freedom. I often ask myself: What faith is for what culture?
In the background of the cultural question remains the decisive knot of faith, which acts as a suture between the various fragments: if there is no authentic, deep, real experience of faith with God, albeit inhabited by light and shadow and nourished by the Word and by a millenary heritage of thought, in fruitful dialogue with other cultural and religious traditions, etc., how can there be a culture of Christian inspiration?
If the latter is in crisis, it is also because the way we have inherited to understand and live the Christian faith is in crisis today. What culture, that is to say, what cultivation of the Christian faith are we proposing in the Church at the height of the 21st century?
I liked the enlightening reflection that Pope Francis proposed on 13 February 2023 to the Sulkhan-Saba Orbeliani University delegation from Tbilisi, Georgia:
The university represents a fine example of passionate cultural research and care for that inestimable good: educational growth… Education does precisely this: it helps the younger generation grow, discovering and cultivating the most fruitful roots to bear fruit… The term education evokes the passage from the darkness of ignorance to the clarity of knowledge. Education means coming into the light again; it is synonymous with enlightenment.
This beneficial illumination of knowledge is necessary, while in the world the darkness of hatred, which often comes from forgetfulness and indifference, is deepening. Yes, it is usually forgetfulness and indifference that makes everything seem dark and indistinct, while culture and education restore the memory of the past and shed light on the present.
Light does not exist to be seen but to help us see, to help us see around us and beyond. This is precisely what culture is: light that opens horizons and expands frontiers.
