Jesus Cropped from the Picture

Chapter 18: Sacred Roots: Not Culturally Formed

F ORMING AN IDENTITY based on the Church’s Sacred Roots can be understood by contrasting it to the Traditional, Pragmatic, and Emerging methods in terms of previously-mentioned categories: Cultural Assumptions, Nostalgic Era, Common Antagonists, and Focus of Energy. This chapter will focus on cultural assumptions . Sacred Roots is not a cultural development like Rationalism, the Marketing Concept , or Postmodernity, but that which was given to the Church by the Holy Spirit, articulated in the Great Tradition. This pre-dates America, Frontier Revivalism, Modernity, evangelicalism, the Reformation, and all the other cultural manifestations by which other methods were formed. During the first five centuries of the Church, Christian faith was articulated as the Church was guided by the Holy Spirit. Despite the cultural contexts and worldviews of the early Church fathers, the work of God, articulated in the Great Tradition, has stood the test of time and has been embraced by the Church ever since. Sacred Roots is neither Modern nor Postmodern, nor does it focus on any one particular cultural expression. The People of the Story seek to restore what was cropped from the picture . Therefore, churches who identify with these Sacred Roots are empowered to contextualize the Great Tradition in cultures around the world.

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