Through a post-Christian Lens

Because this Blog is the product of a final project for the class Theology and Pop Culture at Fuller Theological Seminary, I wanted to move towards the end of this conversation by interweaving green and pro-social causes with a theological reflection of what this all means in a post-Christian culture. With the present and coming deconstruction of the Evangelical Republican Right, and with Time magazine reporting on how the Democrats got religion, this pro-green and pro-social conversation is no longer a “Democrat” thing. (Hopefully, it never was.) Also, with report after contradicting report regarding global warming, people have become increasingly frustrated. Some say global warming is the result of humanity and some say that it is not. In the end, we should not care which party “has God” or which side of the global warming debate we fall. We should care about the earth because we are called by God to care about the earth, and we should care about the oppressed because we are called by God to care about the oppressed.

To put it simply, being green and pro-social is a God thing.

So what might God have to do with advertising in post-Christian America today? Sam Van Eman elaborates on this subject in his book On Earth as it is in Advertising?. The thread that runs through Van Eman’s book is his use of the word “Simgospel”. He defines the word before the pages of his book even begin.

“All messages that simulate the biblical narrative through advertising and popular media for the purpose of selling products and ideas.”

He then continues on page 20, (J)

“The Simgospel is goodness, borrowed.”

The book is filled with his idea that anything stealing the gospel message is Simgospel and therefore not beneficial for the world. If we were to tie Van Eman’s thoughts with Natural Theology’s greatest debate between Barth and Brunner, it would be safe to say that Van Eman would align well with Barth’s view on Natural Theology. Barth does not believe that God “generally” reveals God’s self to the world, but only does so “specifically”. Van Eman is calling for specific revelation of the gospel, which is a good thing, but may not capture all of the beautiful ways that God is moving. Maybe general revelation is becoming increasingly important, especially within the context of a post-Christian culture in America today.
What if God had something to do with the current shifts in advertising? What if God, as Brunner would articulate, is mysteriously and “generally” revealing God’s heart with America through these evident shifts in marketing strategies? What if God is moving through the lives of Angelina Jolie and Bono? What if God is moving through Adbusters? What if God is setting the trend and making relevant his heart for the earth and for the oppressed? What if God isn’t a God that hates culture, but rather meets current cultures where they are at and step by step drives the sin out of culture? What if advertising today is a step in a positive direction?

In a post-Christian world where the church is no longer the institution that drives all major decisions, we are in need of God’s mysterious hand to move in mysterious ways. While the goal of maximizing profit has not changed, and probably will not change in America, a growing way to maximize profit is to encourage green and pro-social advertising.

This is not a completely bad thing.

This is not a completely good thing.

This is a positive shift that is “generally” moving our culture in a direction more into the heart of God.

That is a GOOD thing.

Choices are a part of today’s world. (K) This is something that we should not take for granted, as the majority of people in history did not have the choices that we get to make on a daily basis. The most recent generations have lived in a globalized world that is more aware of its national neighbors than any other generation in history.

The world is full of potential. (L)

Potential that I believe God wants to realize.

Advertising is the most powerful medium of popular culture and I believe that this current shift in advertising will help to realize potential. I also believe that this is only the beginning and we will soon be moving more in the direction of people choosing products based on the good of the earth, rather than the good of the individual. It is in such directions that light overcomes the darkness.

[John 8:12]