Christ and Culture in 1 Peter

“What to do with Rome? What to do about Rome? What to make of Rome? For Peter, of course, “Rome” really was the issue.” Rome was the issue because Rome had become the new Babylon (1 Peter 5:13). Rome was the issue because Rome (and Babylon) “was a cipher for a world power hostile to God” (Green, 1 Peter, 1).

It is because of Rome that first-century Christians were considered “strangers and aliens” (1 Peter 1:1). It is possible, per Karen Jobes’ suggestion, that many first-century Christians were literally strangers and aliens due to Roman colonization. But more importantly, first-century Christians were figuratively strangers and aliens because they lived in a culture hostile to God. This is Peter’s audience. Peter’s passion is to encourage Christians to stand firm in the grace of God in the midst of a hostile culture (1 Peter 5:12). It is in this sense that 1 Peter makes a significant contribution to contemporary Christian theology: how should a Christian engage culture?

Scot McKnight offers “three dominant theological answers to this question of how Christians are to interact with society and culture”(McKnight, 1 Peter, 19). First, some Christians attempt to create a counterculture of separatism. This is common amongst Anabaptists such as Mennonites and Amish. Second, some Christians attempt to extend Christian society into secular society. This is common amongst Reformed Christians. Third, some Christians attempt to maintain two realms. This is common amongst Lutheran Christians who believe that “the strategy of God is different for society than for the church” (McKnight, 1 Peter, 21)

So what answer does 1 Peter give? Christians debate 1 Peter’s answer to the question. For example, some believe 1 Peter 2:13-17 encourages cooperation with the Roman authorities…just try to get along. Others, however, believe 1 Peter 2:13-17 challenges Roman authority because of the primacy of the will of God (2:15), slavery to God not a human institution (2:16), and honor to everyone, not just the king (2:17). For another example, 1 Peter does not advocate violent rebellion but proclaiming Christ as Lord is a form of rebellion against the emperor.

So how should a Christian engage culture according to 1 Peter? A simplistic answer is to “live holy, endure suffering and don’t make waves” (McKnight, 1 Peter, 22). But this, McKnight rightfully states, may not do justice to Peter’s complexities. As Karen Jobes points out: “First Peter offers various examples of accommodating, rejecting, subverting, and transforming culture” (Jobes, 1 Peter, 4). In other words, the answer is “it depends.” How the Christian engages culture depends upon the Christian, the culture, and the aspect of culture being considered. For example, Peter’s readers were probably non-citizens who had limited rights and could not actively promote change in the Roman system. However, those of us who are citizens of the United States can actively promote change and, therefore, live in a different relationship with culture.

Perhaps the best answer is to state that culture changes but God’s kingdom does not. Therefore, in some respects, our relationship to culture changes. Consider the different manners in which Christians relate to culture in America, Africa, Iran, or China. But, in other respects, because the kingdom of God never changes, our relationship to culture never changes. For Peter, holiness is one of these trans-cultural aspects of the kingdom of God. No matter what culture you are in, the Christian is called to be holy in every aspect of life.