We hear all the time that the “progressive church” has capitulated to the prevailing culture in their advocacy of certain controversial issues. The accusation is also made that in the attempts of the “progressive church” to justify their positions they interpret scripture not as God intended and as tradition encourages, but again according to the dictates of the prevailing culture, which is always viewed as anti-Christian or anti-Christ.
I wonder whether the mega-churches with their vast numbers that the “conservative church” uses to justify their correctness before God is in fact not a capitulation to the prevailing culture – the “mall-culture” or the “culture-of-materialism and self-interest.”
The accusation of capitulating to the prevailing culture can be made on both sides. Are we willing to admit it? Are we willing to question whether capitulation to the prevailing culture is always a bad thing, because perhaps at times the prevailing culture may be right?