What I’m suggesting is that we need to think more about what it means to be a Christian on both the form and content level. What does it mean to truly embody the call of Christ in our lives? Can we embody that selfless, humble, transcendent Gospel of Christ when we look the part of a self-focused, vain, trendy hipster?
I think we need to deal with this dissonance, and confront the implications of cool head on. I think we need to redefine cool in terms that aren’t as much about consuming the right sorts of things or having privileged knowledge of what is or isn’t fashionable, as much as about the things that are truly attractive and appealing about our faith.
The coolness of Christianity comes not from how fashionable or trendy Christians are, but rather from how well we embody the humility and charity and love of Christ in our lives.
In a world that constantly reinforces our own hubris and obsession with self, true revolution is that which points us outward. And this is my hope for the Christian hipster. That in the midst of this business of creating new perceptions and correcting some of the skewed priorities of evangelicalism, the focus should always be on Christ and his kingdom, rather than on ourselves, our skinny jeans, and our strategically overgrown mountain man beards.
Excerpted from The Search via Rage Against the Minivan
3 comments:
Beth, Thanks for sharing this. I really needed to hear that. I think blogging has been a blessing and a curse. I've met some amazing people and been encouraged but at the same time I feel so much pressure to be something. I don't know exactly what that something is. I guess we just need to focus on being what God wants us to be--hipster or not. Thanks again for sharing!
Thanks for sharing Beth.
oxoxo
Denalee
Post a Comment