Lecture 2: The First Cultural Context—Greece and Rome

The First Cultural Context—Greece and Rome................................

Lecture 2

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nderstanding the cultural contexts in which Christianity was born is

of fundamental importance for grasping the history of this religious

tradition. Like other religions of the West, Christianity is grounded

in the material world and, at every stage, is shaped by cultural circumstances.

It is not a timeless form of spirituality that teaches its adherents to liberate

themselves from the body or involvement in society. Rather, Christianity was

born at a certain time and place and bears within it the imprint of the cultures

from which it originated and grew. Further, such cultural conditioning does

not apply only at the beginning but throughout Christianity’s long history.

Christianity is a religion that constantly emerges from, adapts, and reshapes

the cultures that it engages.

Defining “Cultural Context”

•    A cultural context can be thought of in terms of a “symbolic world”

that expresses and provides meaning for human existence. A

symbolic world is not removed from specific social structures and

processes but, instead, grounds social realities.

•    Specific social structures, dynamics, and practices make sense

because of the ideas, images, metaphors, and symbols that give

them shape.

o The many discrete practices of students (e.g., attending class,

reading, studying, writing, taking exams) make sense only

within a symbolic world called “education.”

o The disparate activities of American politics (e.g., campaigning,

soliciting, caucusing, voting, taking office) make sense only

within the symbolic world called “representative democracy.”

o In similar fashion, ancient Greek civilization was held together

by a symbolic world called paideia, meaning both Greek

culture and the education that shaped people in that culture.