Culture and Faith

Is this hippie relevant for today? Perhaps, but to how many people?

Culture and faith, how are the two connected? At first this may sound like a simple question with a simple answer. But is it? Many times faith, no matter what it is, comes with it's own culture. History, traditions and geographical locations usually dictate culture as well. Over time what seems to be relevant becomes irrelevant, but the dictates of those in charge of the expressions of faith usually have little or no tolerance to change. For many this becomes obvious as they realize that change must take place. Yet due to many issues of money and power struggles within leadership, change is usually difficult to manage.

Culture nowadays is as difficult to grasp as smoke. You can see it but it is always changing and if it sits stagnant for very long will dissipate and will be even harder to find. However, if faith is to be relevant isn't culture one of the main ways to do it? How much of the way you practice your faith comes with traces of your faith's culture that has no relevance to the culture you live in? How do we live by our faith without loosing the importance of it opposed to being relevant to the community at large?

I ask these questions this week because this is not only one of my favorite subjects, but because it is sometimes very easy to spot those who refuse to let go of their "religious culture" for a more relevant connection by a more relevant culture.